The Psychic Vortex Continuum
by Diana Crescent
Summary: 10 things Penny knows exsist. This was a response to The Psychic Vortex. I thought Penny needed a little backup. Turning into a definite P/S. Updated: a little darker in chapters 3-5, but the humor will be returning VERY SOON!
1. The Extra Sensory Perception

Hello, everyone. It's been a very LONG time since I last wrote, let alone posted anything. I've recently started watching The Big Bang Theory, and it's gotten me back in the mood to write.

Hope you all enjoy!

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

1. ESP

When Penny was a young girl, barely four, she learned about ESP. That's when she really started to know that there were things out there that couldn't be explained by man or logic. She knew; she'd asked a logical man after it happened, and all he'd done was shrug his shoulders.

Not for the first time, nor for the last, she was living at her grandparent's farm in southwest Nebraska. The growing season was in full swing. Her mother helped her grandmother in the house, and her father was back in Omaha being an "ignorant ass," as her mother liked to say. She'd given him an ultimatum—which Penny, in all of her four-year-old wisdom, understood as "we're staying with Mamaw and Pap until you tell me you're sorry." This time her father had to be sorry he drank.

Penny spent most of her days with her Pap, working in the fields. She was Chief Inspector of the Winter Wheat; she had to look at every grain, be sure it didn't have any black spots in it, and make sure not to bother Pap while he was driving. Her older brother and sister, however, spent their days in school. Tammy, Penny's sister, was in 8th grade, had a boyfriend, and talked on the phone a lot. Johnny, their brother, was ten and stupid. (In Penny and Tammy's opinion, though Tammy would never admit to agreeing with a four-year-old.)

Penny remembered clearly that it was Spring Break. Tammy had done nothing but talk on the phone with her boyfriend and friends, while Johnny had sulked around the house, being a general "nuisance" if you were a grown up, and a general "poopy head" if you were Penny.

Penny walked into the living room, toting Priscilla-Barbie, and saw Johnny trying to be sneaky, by watching people out of the window. He was wearing his swimming trunks and shoes.

"Watcha doin'?"

Johnny jumped, turned around, and shushed her. "Do you have to yell?"

"I'm not yellin'!" In truth, Penny was aware that everyone thought she yelled instead of spoke. Her mama just said she talked loud, and needed to learn to talk softer.

"Well stop talkin' loud then!"

"You didn't answer my question." Penny said, doing a dramatic whisper, which could probably still be heard by Tammy, who was currently blasting U2's newest album. Penny always liked when "Where the Streets Have No Name" came on.

"I'm goin' swimmin'."

Penny's left eyebrow rose, and her mouth scrunched up. "Oh no you're not! Mama said we can't go swimmin' unless someone takes us, and no one's offered. I'da known, cause I'd be wearing my suit too. You can't go swimming by yourself, and if you try, I'm tellin' Mama."

Johnny's mouth got really serious, and his eyes looked like they were on fire. Penny wondered if she should have started running first. Actually, she probably should have just been a tattle-tale, no matter that Tammy and Johnny wouldn't speak to her if she did. It always made her laugh. Like them not speaking to her was a bad thing.

Johnny didn't push her, like he normally would have. He simply grabbed her Barbie out of her hand, put one grubby boy fist around her legs, and the other around her hair. "I'll kill her."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would."

"But that's Priscilla-Barbie!"

"They're all Barbies!"

"They can't all be Barbie. That's like all of us bein' Penny! Can't everybody be Penny! If I start callin' 'em all Barbie, they'll be confused!"

"You are so weird."

"Am not!"

"Whatever! I'll kill Priscilla!"

"That's not Priscilla! Priscilla's the rocker! That's Priscilla-Barbie! She's the astranut! You can't kill an astranut."

"It's astronaut, dork."

"I'm gonna tell Mama!"

Johnny just started to pull his fists apart.

"Don't hurt her! Please! I won't say anything! Go swimmin', I don't care! Just give me Priscilla-Barbie."

Johnny dropped Priscilla-Barbie to the ground, stamped on her for good measure, and ran out the door.

"Stupid boys. Priscilla-Barbie, are you okay?"

As Penny made sure Priscilla-Barbie's head was still firmly attached to her neck, she peaked out the door, watching Johnny's lithe form fade down the dirt road, straight for the creek.

"I hope Mama finds out. She's gonna be so mad, she'll wallop him good."

Penny knew that there mother had few rules. Do everything you're told without having to be told twice. Do your homework before playing (that was for Tammy and Johnny, but Penny always asked for homework from Pap). And don't go to the creek without an adult.

She never understood why. Tammy rolled her eyes and walked away without answering. Johnny said it was because Mama was mean, and hated them like she hated Daddy. At this point, Penny usually reminded him that all Daddy had to do was kiss Mama and say he was sorry, and she'd love him again. Johnny usually pushed her down after that reminder though.

Years later, when she was old enough, she finally understood. It was irrigation season for the wheat. The water ran off into the creek, filling beyond what its tiny banks could hold. The crop dusting chemicals mixed into the water to create a toxic brew for those foolish enough to go in. And if you didn't drown from the swift and deep current, or die from the chemicals, the snakes were sure to kill you.

Penny, at four, didn't know any of this. She just knew her brother needed his "butt beat" as her Pap would say.

Penny stomped into the kitchen, and sat down at the table, still trying to comfort a traumatized Priscilla-Barbie.

Penny's mother turned to look at her daughter. Rather than greeting her as she usually would, she just stared, and looked at her.

"I didn't do anything. I swear," was Penny's first reaction.

Her mother dropped the plate she had been drying and ran out of the back door, following Johnny's earlier path. Her Mama was screaming her brother's name.

Penny sat still for a minute, looked at the broken glass on the floor, and took action.

She took all of her Barbies to the attic to hide. It didn't matter when she said, Johnny was gonna kill 'em all.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Her brother got out of the hospital a week later, suffering from exposure to chemicals and nearly drowning. She ended up burying 14 Barbies before all was said and done. He hadn't even got a walloping, like he should have.

They moved back to Omaha after school let out, as nearly losing his son had made Penny's father less of an ignorant ass. At least for about six months, and then Mama gave him another ultimatum.

Johnny spent his summer working off his "dept to society" as their mother put it—he owed Penny 14 Barbies, as she hadn't said a word about him going swimming.

Penny spent a week without any Barbies because she hadn't said a word about him going swimming.

Tammy thought they were both losers, and said so on many occasions.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny was sitting next to Sheldon on Anything Can Happen Thursday, eating Thai food and watching a documentary on wheat.

"Wow. I never realized that wheat was such a hardy crop," Howard muttered, truly enthralled by the documentary.

"Oh yeah. Winter wheat is one of the few crops that is planted in the fall and harvested in summer. It actually sprouts before the freezes being, but it sits dormant until spring. In fact, snow cover can help, because it creates a protective barrier from the colder surface temperatures. Hey, did you know winter wheat has a higher number of gluten protein that other wheat?"

Penny stopped talking as she noticed everyone staring at her like Sheldon had become Jeff Dunham, and they wanted to call her Peanut. She fidgeted a little, and said softly, "I was Chief Inspector of the Winter Wheat one year."

They all nodded and went on, as if that explained everything. And to Penny, it did.

Please review


	2. The Time Travel Validation

As always, read and review please!

A big thanks to those of you who did so last time!!

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

2. Time Travel

"Leonard, I don't doubt that you believe time travel is impossible, but with your infinitesimally small brain, and with your smaller IQ, I doubt you'd be able to comprehend the concept to its maximum capacity anyway."

Leonard just looked at his taller roommate, and continued to unlock the door to their apartment.

Both jumped a little as Penny's door swung open suddenly.

Her hair was mussed, and she looked decidedly sleepy.

"Are you okay?" Leonard asked, concern etched in his voice.

"Yeah. I just had a nap. I remembered something that I had forgotten to do."

"What did you forget?" Sheldon asked, curious.

Penny walked straight up to him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the cheek. She squeezed him a little bit longer and let go.

"What was that for?!" Leonard asked, more than a little jealous that his girlfriend would kiss his roommate in such a manner.

"Oh, he'll find out eventually."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny traipsed about the bayou as if she were back in Nebraska—no fear, just utter love of God and nature surrounding and filling her. Her latest Barbie—Madonna, named of course, for the singer she was dressed to look like—was clutched tight in her hand. Johnny had bought her Concert Tour Barbie, with day glo bustier and skintight black jeans, after he had finished working off his "debt to society." Penny was almost sure that she liked Madonna the best, not because she was Madonna, but because she'd been number 15—as in Johnny didn't have to buy her, but did. Penny hadn't called him stupid since, and that was almost 12 months ago.

It was her mother's latest ultimatum that brought them here, and was listed in the "or else" category. Tammy said their father had to quit his philanthropic ways, or else. What coming home with Revlon #15 Fire and Ice on his collar had to do with being charitable, Penny didn't know. (Especially when Penny knew her Mama only wore Mary Kay Pink Satin.) Penny did know "or else" meant Daddy was going to die if Mama didn't cool off. This time, cooling off included going to visit their Great Aunt June Bug in the bayous of southern Louisiana, about an hour from New Orleans.

Tammy considered herself a southern belle, and didn't do a thing to help, as she feared she was melting the moment she started to sweat.

In a strange spirit of camaraderie, Johnny and Penny both agreed that she was indeed the Wicked Witch of the West and would indeed melt if suddenly splashed with water.

She hadn't. They tried. Their sister did spend most of her time indoors, on the phone, long distance to Nebraska when she could sneak it; if she got caught, she spent her time indoors, scrubbing floors and baseboards for running up the phone bill.

Johnny had taken to the neighborhood (if you call a 20 minute walk to the nearest house "next door," a neighbor) children, and was constantly in and out of trouble with them.

This left Penny to herself. Something she rarely minded, though she missed her Pap something fierce and tended to wonder how on earth he could harvest wheat without her there to help him. Penny didn't realize until much later in life that children, even if they are your grandchildren, are both a joy and a handful; she, herself, had been a handful and half to keep up with.

So Penny passed most of her days wandering in and out of the swamp lands, trekking back and forth between the main house and the old Plantation house, which was situated deeper into the bayou, and held a greater amount of mystery than the newer mansion did. Great Aunt June Bug had married a wealthy southern banker who had come from an old southern family, with a sprawling estate and plantation house. Penny had always loved the house, but never liked the great aunt that came with it. June Bug could cook almost as good as her grandmother could, but tended to pat her on the head too much akin to how she patted Beauregard, her bloodhound.

June Bug had only one child, a son named Charles, who had gotten himself killed in Vietnam. June Bug did one of two things when it came to Charles, depending on her mood. She either talked about him constantly, or she didn't talk about him at all. Mama had said it was because she loved and missed him so much. Penny, for once, didn't ask. She had understood somewhat with the 14 deaths she had suffered through the year before.

Penny stopped her walk to the old plantation house when she heard a strange noise. There were a lot of noises in the bayou, as there was a great deal of wild-life. She was getting used to the birds and such, as they all seemed to make different noises. This one, though, was not an animal. And if it was an animal, it was dying animal with a kazoo in its mouth.

She turned, and felt her eyes go wide. Madonna slipped from her grasp and fell onto the ground without a sound.

Bright lights were shooting out from a glowing orb, floating some 6 feet from the ground. It looked like the disco ball that her father had put up in the garage last fall, but had been forced to take down after her mother had seen it. It looked like the disco ball, but with a great deal more sparkle and reflection bouncing off of it.

"Holy crap on a cracker!" She loved to say. Her mama blamed it on Pap, but admitted there was worse she could say.

As the lights got brighter, and the noise increase, Penny started to make out a machine. It was suddenly coming into focus.

A rather large (and comfy looking) chair with a large pink and gold dish on back sat before her, and in the chair sat a man. All in all, it looked like a really expensive airboat. He was tall, and "all angles" as her mother would say. He also looked like he needed a good, hot meal. She was more used to men who ate and worked hard, and therefore had more meat on their bones.

The man suddenly smiled and laughed in a way that made her confused. No actual laugh came from his lips, just the sudden movement of breath. A quick hehe, and he was done. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt beneath a Superman shirt, and a pair of black pants.

"Never let it be said that Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper is incapable of anything. I can even break the space-time continuum."

Weirdo.

"Mister? How'd you do that?"

This doctor-person, (although, Penny had never seen a doctor that wasn't wearing a white coat or stethoscope) jumped and looked at her.

"Hello. I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I must ask you, where am I?"

"Louisiana."

"And what year is it?"

Penny just stared at him, and then shook her head. "You know, I'm really not supposed to speak to strangers, in case they're crazy…" she left off. It was pretty much implied she thought he was.

"I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested," he said, a little like Tammy did when you mentioned her ex-boyfriend was dating her ex-best friend.

"She did?"

"Twice."

"Oh okay. I don't know. I know it's Sunday. My mama is making apricot cobbler. She does that on Sundays…or for funerals. Hm. Maybe it's not Sunday. Somebody mighta died." Penny tried to concentrate on if her mother or June Bug had mentioned a poor deer lately. She still didn't understand what Bambi had to do with anything.

Dr. Whack-a-doodle, as she now intended to call him, looked at her a little impatiently. "How old are you?"

"Five."

"Oh. And you don't know the year?"

"Nope."

"Who is president?"

"Of what?"

"The country," he said, much in the same way Pap did when she didn't know the answer to a really easy question.

"Don't know. Mama said they're decidin' that in November."

"Do you know who's running?"

"Someone with a funny name. Daddy calls him Michael Doofus."

Dr. Whack-a-doodle nodded as if he now had his answer.

"Where are you from?"

"California," he said distractedly.

"Is it pretty there?"

"Yes."

"What's your name again?"

She was having too much fun. Mama would wallop her if she knew she was making the poor man twitch on purpose, but it was too funny.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"Are you a doctor for children or old people?"

"What?"

"Well, Mama says that there are all kinds of doctors. Some see all people, but don't do much in the way of actually working on people's insides. Some see only kids like me. Some see people who are touched. Some see only mamas. Which kind are you?"

"I'm not that kind of doctor."

"But you said you's a doctor."

"Yes, but there are other types of doctors. Some types of doctors study things like science."

"Am I going to have to learn about science in school? My brother says he has to learn about science, and he doesn't like it."

"Everyone should study science."

Penny just frowned.

Dr. Whack-a-doodle looked at her "Little girl? I don't want to scare you, but…"

"But…" Penny said, wondering why he hadn't blinked yet.

"I'm going to come pick you up, and carry you over here, alright."

She started to back up, but he was already running to her at full speed—surprisingly fast for someone so awkward.

He did, in fact, pick her up and carry her back to his chair with very little effort. She looked over to where she was standing, and not far was an alligator, sunning on the ground.

"You forgot to get Madonna."

"Who?"

"My Barbie."

Sheldon looked to where she had been standing, and sure enough, there was a Barbie on the ground.

"What if he tries to eat me?"

"He's sunning' himself. Besides, Aunt June Bug says their actually very shy towards humans and usually just leave people alone. They even move away if you go near one. Though she also said to not test it."

Sheldon sighed, and knew if it was his Green Lantern action figure out there, he'd want it. Besides, she was five.

Sheldon, slowly made his way back to the Barbie. The alligator watched him closely, and even turned as he bent down to get the doll.

Sheldon grabbed Madonna and fled back to his machine, just as the gator lunged.

"I though you said they were timid."

"They are, but you got close to its babies," Penny said, pointing to a group of about 6 small alligators near the place where the doll had been. He had been too busy looking at the adult to notice the young.

Sheldon's mouth scrunched up again, especially when shown up by a five year old.

They both sat in the chair for a few minutes, and watched the alligators finally swim away.

"Do you have to go back?"

Sheldon looked at her, and nodded sharply. "Yes. I have a bet with my friends. They said I couldn't do it, but I've shown that I could."

"Well, I hope we meet again Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"I don't even know your name. Besides that, the odds of us ever meeting again--"

"Penelope."

"What?"

"My name is Penelope. Everyone calls me Penny, though. I'm from Nebraska, but we're living with my aunt right now. Until Mama and Daddy stop fighting. Anyway, it's gonna be dark soon. If I don't go, Mama'll take away my Barbies for the week. Bye Sheldon."

Sheldon sat there a few seconds more. Of all the odds…

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

When Penny told her mother about the Dr. Whack-a-doodle who studied science and tried to save her from an alligator and had saved Madonna from several alligators, her mother had laughed. "And did you give this knight of yours a kiss thank you?" she'd asked her daughter, who had more imagination than the rest of Louisiana.

"He wasn't a knight, he was a doctor with a time machine. He's from California."

"Alright, did you kiss the doctor thank you, like all damsels in distress do?"

Penny stood there a moment. She hadn't told him thank you, let alone kissed him. "Do you think I should have?"

"Umhm. And did your doctor have a name?"

"Sheldon. Sheldon Cooper."

"Mrs. Penelope Cooper. That has a great ring to it dear. Maybe one day, you'll give me grandbabies who build time machines and study science."

Penny didn't respond. Mostly because she was worried about cooties, but also, Mrs. Penelope Cooper did sound rather nice. She wondered if she could borrow his time machine, go back, and kiss him. Not to mention he still had Madonna.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Penny."

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Penny."

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Penny."

Penny opened the door. It had been a week since she'd kissed him, and there he stood, in a long sleeved shirt, his Superman shirt, and holding a Barbie. More specifically, Concert Tour Barbie, circa 1987 with day-glo bustier and skintight black pants.

"I thought you would like this back."

Penny took Madonna from him, and smiled. "Thanks. For everything."

"You're welcome."

Penny stepped forward a little, just enough to be in his comfort zone without him backing away. She gently kissed the side of his mouth. It was far more intimate than her last kiss had been.

Sheldon nodded, and left quickly.

Mrs. Penelope Cooper…it still sounded nice.

Please review.


	3. The Marley Reticulum

Sorry it's taken so long to update. With the first two chapters, I knew exactly how I wanted them to go, but after that I really didn't know how I wanted to work the next few chapters. Then when I figured it out, I had to do some research. It's taken a few days (months), but I hope it was worth the wait.

_**Warning: this one is not as funny as the last two, though I have done my best to add humor. It's much darker. I think that's because, as we grow, we can't always have humor be the reason that we believe in things. And in the end, the most life changing moments I've ever had, that have really molded me into who I am, have always been my darkest. **_

_**Please read the notes at the end**_

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

Marley Reticulum

The summer that Penny was six was not her most favorite to remember. For one, she now understood exactly what Tammy and Johnny were whining about when it came to school. Two, it was the first summer her father hadn't apologized to her mother. Three, it was the summer she met _them_.

Them, surprisingly, did not refer to the ghosts she had met that year. It referred, instead, to her father's new family: his new girlfriend/fiancée, and her three children. Penny and Johnny had boarded a plane in New Orleans bound for Omaha without Tammy in tow. When their father had called (conveniently leaving out that he had moved on since her mother had moved out), he had wanted the three of them to come see him for the summer. Her mother had agreed since it had been Thanksgiving since he'd seen them. Tammy had told him to drop dead, so she didn't have to go. Penny and Johnny were not given an option.

They had one suitcase apiece, and were driven to the airport by Doc. The town doctor, Peter "Doc" Briere was the epitome of everything a real doctor should be—he helped sick children, and didn't study science like others she could name; he had a great smile; and he gave out stickers or lollipops, whichever you preferred. Tammy thought he was the cutest thing walking; Johnny had found a replacement (and an upgrade when their mother wasn't listening) for the father left back in Nebraska; and Penny had found someone so similar to her Pap, it made her only too happy.

Doc had entered their lives quite suddenly when Johnny had fallen from a large tree in the yard and broken his arm back in August. Doc, who still believed in house calls, had come as soon as June Bug had called. He'd taken one look at her mother, smiled, and had some how managed to call her beautiful without sounding like a creep. The smile was what got Penny and Tammy; the pain meds got Johnny. It wasn't the smile their father gave their mother—which only happened when he was drunk. It wasn't the fake smile of a boy who only wanted one thing—what that one thing was, June Bug and Tammy wouldn't say, but they kept mentioning it when it came to Doc and her mama. In fact, it was a deep genuine smile that seemed to be for her mama, and only for her mama, when she wasn't looking. It was almost like a waiting; like he was seeing something no one else could. Penny'd asked him about it once; he'd kissed her head, and just started talking about his parents, who'd she'd met and adored. What one had to do with the other, she didn't know, but she'd never asked again cause that had been one long-winded conversation.

Her mama wasn't too keen on dating Doc, like Tammy, June Bug, and Doc kept pushing for her to do. She kept saying that she was a married woman, spouse MIA or not.

But, be that as it may, that didn't stop Doc from integrating himself into their lives like he'd always been there, and it didn't stop them from loving him to pieces either.

Unfortunately, Penny had found herself back in Omaha, or more specifically Papillion, with Johnny, rather than scouting the bayous again.

That is, until the little traitor had gotten himself a one-way ticket back home.

Meredith "Call me Mere" Jakobs had three children. A son, a daughter, and a dog. Penny figured the dog counted because she'd had to move to the back of the van thanks to the pink-bowed yapper. Meredith's son Patrick was a snot-nosed evil genius who spent the first two days breaking things and blaming it on them. Mere had quite efficiently let them know were they stood in their former house—not only did the dog get more privileges, but they got in more trouble than when Johnny went swimming two years prior.

Mere's daughter Abigail was a princess as far as everyone was concerned; everyone being Mere, their father, Patrick, and Abigail. How to treat Abigail was the only thing that Muffin, Penny, and Johnny agreed on. Muffin peed on Abigail's things, Penny pushed Abigail as much as possible, and Johnny laughed through it all.

Muffin, though, ruled the roost. She was mama's angel, Abigail's greatest friend (even through all the urine), and Patrick's attack dog. Johnny wanted to demand that Beauregard be sent, but no one would hear of it.

Needless to say, it was war. Especially when they found that their rooms had been turned into Patrick and Abigail's own palaces. Penny's once sea green walls were now Pepto-Bismol pink with white frilled curtains. Johnny's former room (which had been an extension of the Football Hall of Fame according to Tammy) was now done in, of all things, dinosaurs. It was sickening.

They'd had to share Tammy's old room. The once purple room that had housed more posters than the music store could hold at one time was now white with blue accents. It had a foldout couch. Their things were in storage down town. Penny didn't speak to her father for a week.

And in that week, it had become every man for himself. Three bloody noses (all of them Patrick's) later, and Johnny was on his way back to Louisiana. Penny was not so lucky.

Rather than spend her days with Abigail, Muffin, Patrick, or Mere while her father was at work, Penny took off to the public library, which was about 6 blocks from the house. The first few days, no one had noticed she was missing in action. When they finally had, no one had cared to find her. Her father had asked her about it when she got home late one night (Mere had been having a very tearful attack of "the worries," which even Muffin could have seen straight through if she hadn't have been in on it). She calmly told him she'd been at the library, as she'd been every day for the last two weeks.

In response to that, her father had signed her up for t-ball. It gave Penny a place to be without him having to wonder about if she was being watched, gave Mere the break she wanted, and Penny a headache every time she thought about it. Her father had also taken to calling her Slugger every chance he got. She despised it.

So she decided to run away. That's when everything worth happening that summer actually began to happen.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The decision to run away had not come about lightly.

Penny was, by nature, a patient and easy-going person. She figured she could hold out until it was time to go back to Louisiana, and then she'd milk it for all it was worth.

The straw that broke the camel's back was the day Joanna-Barbie got eaten. Penny had been reading in Tammy's (she refused to think of it as hers, and had a total mental block on the word "Guest") room when Muffin had trotted in, said doll in mouth. Penny, despite having at least thirty pounds on the monster, could not get Joanna-Barbie free. Unfortunately, the resulting squabble featured some yelling and growling from both parties. It also involved Meredith getting involved.

Muffin was automatically declared winner by default, and Penny was given a loser's compensation (i.e. little girls who left their toys out deserved to have them eaten, and because it was her fault, she would not be getting a replacement). Penny didn't point out that the last place she had left Joanna-Barbie had been her bed, nor did she point out that Abigail always got a replacement (urine or chew marks as a reason) despite clearly leaving her toys on the floor.

What resulted after she punched a very smug Abigail, was a stay in her room.

Penny, after being banished to the "guest room", sneaked into the kitchen. It was one of the things Meredith had not thought about. Penny had lived in that house longer than Meredith, Patrick, and Abigail combined. She knew every squeak, groan, and breeze that the house made. She also happened to know that the house had a secret passage between the attic and the kitchen. Tammy had sneaked out plenty of times through it, and Penny had used that as blackmail for candy two years prior.

In the kitchen, Penny went straight to the phone made the call.

"Pap?"

"Hey Penny girl, how you like hanging out with ya daddy?"

"Come get me Pap."

"Come get you? Whatcha mean?"

"It's awful. Meredith is mean, Patrick's a dork, Abigail's a brat, and I hate Muffin."

"Who?"

"Daddy said Meredith's gonna be my new Mama. I don't want a new mama, Pap. I want a new daddy though."

"Your ma ain't mentioned your daddy having a girlfriend."

"I don't think she knows Pap. But I don't want to stay here no more. Meredith is right hateful, and she lies like a rug, Pap."

It was then that Meredith screeched, "Didn't I tell you to stay in that room!"

"I gotta go Pap."

Penny, not waiting to hear her Pap's response, ran out the kitchen door, and down the street.

She didn't found out until a few days later that her Pap's response had been "Ellie! Call Lexa! I'm goin' after Penny!"

Penny was three blocks down the street, five alleys over, and working on the forth block when Meredith finally realized that Penny wasn't hiding in the yard.

Penny was out of the city limits when Meredith realized that Penny wasn't hiding in the house, and had finally realized she needed to call the police. Which hadn't taken quite that long, as they lived on the edge of town.

Penny, used to walking in the country, had kept in the tall grass and the ditches. It was thanks to Johnny that she knew this. In a spurt of brotherly affection (i.e. her mother made him) they had played cops and robbers. He'd told her, after a few times of killing her easily, that a decent robber always stayed hidden.

After an entire day (a couple of hours), she spotted an old, abandoned barn and decided to go hide out (rest) there. Partly because it was starting to sprinkle and she didn't want to get wet, but mostly because she was tuckered out.

As she made her way inside, she shivered. It was drafty and Johnny had told her one time that it was haunted.

The barn was run down, the wood was grayed and rotted. And it creaked something fierce. The rain began picking up, with a little hail (pea-sized) mixed in.

Penny hugged herself tightly, and went to the corner, next to the front stall. She sat down and decided to wait out the storm. Finally able to sit, she couldn't help but feel a little scared and sorry for herself. A couple of tears slipped out before she started sobbing.

"You lost?"

She jumped out of her skin. "Who's there?"

"Sorry, I forget you can't see me like this," the voice said, before a man appeared in front of her.

He was tall, broad shouldered, and exactly the sort of guy Tammy would have gone gaga over. Unfortunately, he was also see-through.

"You're a ghost."

"Sure am, little lady. Now why are you in an old, run-down barn like this?"

"I'm runnin away."

"Why would you do something like that to your ma and pa?"

"I'm only runnin away from my daddy. I'm going to stay with my Pap and Mamaw."

"Did your mama die?" He asked softly and gently, kneeling down to sit beside her. He seemed considerably concerned with her reason on running away, and her well-fare, and was surprisingly warm. Johnny and Tammy, last Halloween, had told her that ghosts created cold spots, that's why her room was so cold.

Doc had been kind enough to tell her that the reason her room got cold was because she had a false wall for a servant's passage and it created a draft. She'd asked him about ghosts, and he'd likened them to skittish horses. That they came to you, not you to them, and if given their space, they'd warm up to you. She briefly wondered if there was anything Doc didn't know.

"Naw, she's in Louisiana with my sister and brother. Daddy kissed another woman, and Mama left him. No one said it, but he came with red lipstick, and Mama only wears pink. Meredith, she's gonna be my step-mama if Daddy ever gets the marbles to ask for a divorce. I offered Daddy Johnny's set of aggies, but apparently that's not what Meredith meant. Anyway, Meredith wears Revlon red. That's what my daddy came home wearing before we left."

The ghost looked torn between laughing and looking sorry for her. "So you're runnin' away because of Meredith."

"Her daughter Abigail fed her dog my doll. I got in trouble for punching Abigail."

This time he did laugh. "Sounds to me like you wish you was in Louisiana."

"Yeah. Mama doesn't know about Meredith. It's gonna break her heart that Daddy has been leadin her on like this. Like if it don't work out with Meredith, then he can call Mama and say he's sorry, and pretend Meredith never existed. I don't like my daddy right now."

"Well, what your daddy done wudn't right, but runnin' away from ya problems ain't gonna solve nothing, little one."

"I know," she whispered so softly, it was almost inaudible. For a few minutes, they sat quietly listening to the wind howl and the rain and hail beat down on the old barn.

"I think you oughta tell your pa how you feel, and that you want to go back to your ma."

"He'll be mad at me, and tell me if I'd just behave, I'd get along better with them."

"Sometimes, darlin', it ain't about doin' what grown ups tell us. It's about doin' what's right by us. Your daddy ain't doin' right by you. You need to tell him that he can either send you back, or your ma can come get you. But that you ain't stayin' with him no more."

She looked up at him. "What if he yells at me?"

"Then you might have to call in the reserves."

"The what?"

"The people on your side, darlin'."

"I tried callin' my Pap. Meredith caught me, that's what made me run off so sudden. I knew I was gonna be in trouble."

"Well, now that your Pap knows, maybe he can help you."

She gave him a watery smile and said "What's your name?"

"Samuel Dylan Marley at your service, ma'am."

"I'm Penelope Montgomery Bradley."

"That's quite a mouthful."

"Yep. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure can."

"How'd you get to be a ghost?"

"How'd I die, you mean?"

Penny nodded a little, and snuggled closer to the warmth. The sky was beginning to darken as night came along.

"Well, let's see. It was in the Civil War, 'twixt the North and the South. I was in the 1st Regiment Nebraska Volunteer Infantry. I'd survived all kindsa battles, but then came along the Battle of Pittsburg Landing."

"Was that a big one?"

"One of the biggest. Most people know it as Shiloh."

"Oh. My Pap told me about the Civil War once, and Doc talks about it an awful lot too."

"Who's Doc?"

"He's the doctor back in Louisiana that wants to marry my mama. But she's stubborn. Says she's still married to my daddy, and won't even have dinner with Doc alone while she's still Mrs. Bradley."

"That's cause your mama's a lady, and a lady only makes room for one man."

Penny sat puzzled for a minute. "What about ladies that only have one man, but that man's already got a wife?"

"Like Meredith?" Penny just nodded as an answer. "Makes 'em something not fit for you to hear. And it don't speak to highly of your daddy, if the truth were said."

"Tammy said they's both whores."

His eyebrows were in his hairline. "And just who is this Tammy that says things like that?"

"My sister. She's 16."

"She ought not to say things like that," he said, frowning.

"Why? She says it's true."

"It's not lady-like."

"But Tammy ain't never cheated on nobody…"

"Her speech leaves much to be desired."

"Oh," she whispered, frowning in thought. "So you got to talk real nice and be honest to be a lady?"

"Somethin' like that. There's more to it, but even if people don't see you as a lady, they cain't deny that you're a good person."

Penny just nodded. "I'm sorry. You was sayin'?"

He smiled and drew her closer to his warmth as night and rain settled in on them.

"Well, I was 21 year old when the war broke out, and in 1862, I was just about ready to turn 22. I joined the war not long after my son was born. I was serving under General John Milton Thayer, commander of the first regiment. It was early April in Tennessee…"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Over the course of the night, several friends of Samuel's arrived to add on to the story of the Battle of Shiloh. She'd met over twelve ghosts by the time dawn came on. She hadn't gotten tired once during the story, thanks greatly to the riveting storytelling of her new friends, but did start to nod off as the story came to a close.

The last thing she remembered, before falling asleep, was Samuel whispering softly to her "Go on and close your eyes, Lady Bug. I'll keep watch to make sure you stay safe."

And he had.

The first thing she noticed, on waking up, was the sound of bloodhounds baying in the distance. Then she heard her mama's voice calling her name. "Mama?" she answered groggily.

"Penny!" was shouted in the distance.

Penny stood up and was about to run away again, but remembered what Samuel said. Running away doesn't solve anything. She took a deep breath and walked out of the barn, into the sun light.

Her mother caught her up into her arms. "Penny darling, where have you been?"

"Right here, Mama. I was runnin' away to Pap and Mamaw's 'cause of…"

Her mother's eyes darkened, but she nodded in understanding. Finding out about Meredith had been a blow to the stomach for her too. It was a wound still fresh.

Penny hugged her mother tight. "I figured if I couldn't run to you, I could run to them, Mama. I've wanted you somethin' fierce all summer."

"I've missed you too baby. So much."

"I don't hafta stay, do I?"

"No. Not with that woman, you don't."

"I'm in trouble though, aren't I?"

"Big time."

"Penny!" Her father's voice yelled as he reached them. "Let's get you home."

"I ain't goin' with you!" She yelled, firmly, green eyes blazing.

"What is all this? You runaway for no reason, and now you're acting like this. I oughta paddle you good."

"Shut up and leave the girl alone Bill. You're one of the reasons she ran away," her Pap growled.

"I am not."

"Are too." Penny bit viciously. "You always take their side, and never listen to mine. You chose your family, and it ain't us. Not me, not Johnny, not Tammy, and not Mama. You don't want us no more, and you shouldn't pretend that you do."

"Penny, it's not that easy," he whispered, staring at her with surprised and broken green eyes.

In that moment, she wished she had her mother's blue eyes.

"Sometimes it is, Dad."

He'd backed away as if slapped. She'd always called him Daddy.

"Sounds to me like Penny's hit the nail on the head," her Pap said calmly. He looked straight into her eyes, in an understanding, sad kind of way that made her heart ache.

Her father looked defeated. He turned and walked back towards the police.

"Mama?"

"Yes baby?"

"What's gonna happen now?"

"I don't know. But someday, it'll all be okay."

"Can we go home now? Back to June Bug's"

"Sure baby. We can go home now."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It took years for Penny to be able to look on that summer with any fondness. Looking back, that's the summer she lost her father—her real one anyway. Doc had indeed been the replacement and upgrade their family had needed. He'd stitched them all back together quite well, after the bruising, the bleeding, and the swelling had stopped from the wound.

As she'd gotten older, she'd realized her father's indecision. He couldn't live with her mother, who was never quite satisfied, and who he could never quite please (Penny, to this day, didn't figure that her mother was picky, but that her father just didn't have what it takes to be the husband of a lady.) Meredith, however demanding, took him as he was and didn't expect him to change. He was happier with Meredith; but Meredith demanded full attention, full control, and full loyalty. He didn't have a choice in who he got to pick.

It was this choice, though, that had lost him _his_ children. It was the ever present gulf between them. That summer, the only summer, where she became _Slugger_, and stayed Slugger. Because he could never quite see, despite all the visits, that Penny was changing. Every time he saw her, she was that six-year-old girl with big green eyes, cradled in her mother's arms calling him on his inadequacies as her mother had done. On that day, he'd struck out with his final hope of being a real father, and she'd hit a grand slamming pop-fly over the fence in her assessment. It was that day, he realized by never measuring up to their expectations, he'd become exactly what they said he was.

It was that summer that her daddy became her father, and Doc became her Daddy.

It was that summer she'd learned her greatest lesson. Sometimes telling the truth will lose you what you love. But sometimes, telling the truth is what you have to do. She'd learned to tell the truth over something she was willing to lose, and to bend it when she didn't think she could.

While there wasn't much to be fond of that summer, her brightest spot had been the warmth of a friend, and good strong story that had lasted in her memory as strongly as the memories around it. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think of Samuel Dylan Marley.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"What are you guys watching?"

"Jeopardy," was the unanimous answer from the four men across the hall.

"I love jeopardy!" she said, going over to the couch.

In an unspoken, unnoticed sense of "rightness," Howard moved over to the far right cushion, Raj got a chair, and Penny sat in the middle of the couch next to Sheldon.

"What round are we in?"

"The first," Howard said casually, while trying to listen to the engineering question that had just been asked.

Sheldon looked at them derisively and turned up the volume.

"_Alex, I'll take Battle of Shiloh for 200."_

"_Albert Sidney Johnston, leader of Confederate forces, was said to have waved this, rather than a sword."_

"What is a tin cup," Penny answered promptly.

Raj was the first to notice, and to turn to stare. She just shrugged.

"_400, please, Alex."_

"_General Johnston acquired most of his battle plans from which subordinate?"_

"Who is Beauregard."

At this, Leonard turned to look at her.

"_600."_

"_Daily Double_."

"My aunt's dog was named after him," she mouthed.

Leonard just nodded in his confused way and turned back to the program.

"_I'll bet 1200 Alex."_

"_Alright. This military term was born during the Battle of Shiloh, and is still the current name for an area of intense fighting."_

"What is a hornet's nest."

Howard was now staring at her with an open mouth, a vague glazed look in his eye. "My grandfather was a marine before he married my grandmother and settled down to farm," she whispered.

"_800, please."_

"_The Federal army harassed the Confederates during the night by using this type of artillery fire."_

"What is gunboat."

By this time, even Sheldon had noticed that Penny was getting all of the answers right.

She just looked at him and smiled.

All four waited for the final question to see if she would know this one.

"_Finish the category, please."_

"_This Shiloh commander later served as governor two states (one a territory at the time), and has a statue in a third."_

"Who is John Milton Thayer."

"_Who is Sherman?"_

"_No, I'm sorry. Who is John Milton Thayer."_

They all sat waiting for an explanation.

"He was from Nebraska. Lead the First Nebraskan Regiment into the Battle of Shiloh."

Four "oh"s went out through the living room.

She didn't figure telling them about Samuel would do any good. Besides, they probably wouldn't believe her anyway.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Aside: I chose the chapter title because:

Marley is an allusion to the ghost in Dickens's short story "A Christmas Carol" as well as the last name of the character Samuel. And reticulum because this refers to a network and works in two ways. First, because Penny met several ghosts, which served as a network (unfortunately, I cut out those scenes because I didn't feel it furthered the plot like of the chapter any); second, Penny has managed to network several things that Samuel taught her into her daily life: how to be a lady/good person; Civil War trivia; and how to stand up for what's right for you.

_**Samuel is of my own creation and is a combination of my grandfather and my father, so while he is in no way original, he is still very much mine. (Doc and Pap are completely modeled after my mother's father, who I consider to be my greatest hero.)**_

_**The use of colloquial language is in no way used as derogatory towards people of the South or Midwest. As I happen to be from this area, and speak in this manner, I find that it is actually quite pleasing to the ear and I enjoyed writing the conversations this way. It was used to add realism to the characters, represented culture, and conversations.**_

_**I've made my point, not excuses and if I get negative reviews, then that's a personal issue you're having.**_


	4. The Medial Connectivity

Okay, so I hope that you guys enjoyed the last chapter. It's taken me some time to see where I want to go. I've got the next 3 chapters planned out, but the last 4 are giving me hell. I decided to go ahead and get where I want to with these 3 and then hash out what comes next.

I also realized that my timeline is off. I looked up Kaley Cuoco's real age (she's a few years older than me) and started writing this with it being her age, and then realized a couple of days ago, that Penny is my age. Not older. But it's too late now, and I'm not going to worry about it too much. Sorry though.

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

Medial Connectivity

Diana Crescent

IIIIIIIIIII

The phone hadn't rang yet. That was terribly frustrating. She knew Leonard was wrong about psychics, but there was still that terrible doubt creeping into her mind. What if he was right? He was a genius after all.

She hated that about him. About her. That he could do that to her. She knew psychics were real, had been to several in her life and had never been lead wrong. Her whole family said Penny was psychic herself. She knew how to tell a fake psychic from one with a gift within two minutes of being near them. She'd been able to from the first time she'd ever sought one (granted, it had been a medium) out when she was eight.

IIIIIIIIIII

When Penny was eight years old, her mother married Doc. It had been an early June wedding. Penny had been the flower girl, Tammy the maid of honor, Johnny the best man. It had been small, only closest relatives invited.

Doc and her mother went on a six week cruise. Tammy was soon to be 17 (her birthday was in August, but she was younger, rather than older, than all of her classmates. Because of this, she'd gotten her license at the beginning of her junior year and had only been driving a year.) She was, therefore, always gone in her car (a little mint green carmen ghia that Penny had drooled over). Johnny had somehow managed to get into a six-week long space camp. The little rat bastard got to be trained as an astronaut in Florida while Doc and their mother were gone.

That left Penny with June Bug.

It had taken Penny all of two hours to figure out that June Bug was used to the company of the others and just as lonely as Penny was. It had taken Penny forty-five minutes more to figure out that June Bug was not entertaining Penny buy playing tea. Apparently, June Bug was entertaining herself by trying to teach Penny to be a lady. It did not go over so well after that.

It especially did not go over so well after their private tea parties/lady lessons turned into serving brunch, lunch, and/or afternoon tea to the Southern Ladies Auxiliary Chapter at least three times a week. Penny got to play waitress and hostess. But not in her normal shorts, rompers, overalls, or jeans. She was stuck in dresses. Lace or satin dresses with giant bows in the back. Dresses that required panty hose.

Panty hose in the summer was a bad idea to begin with. But Louisiana was humid, and wearing panty hose (always winter heavy, and white) made Penny sweat buckets. And whenever she asked, no matter how politely, to go play, she was always turned down and introduced to some other woman that she was sure she'd been introduced to at least twice before. Penny was dolled up and paraded in front of all of the southern women in the parish. All of them wearing pastel two-piece suits with scarfs and giant hats. All of them at least sixty years old.

Penny felt like a show dog like on TV. Given a cookie for good behavior, and a pat on the head after a good performance.

By week three, she was certain she'd go stark raving mad if she didn't get away from these women. So she did what she promised her mother she would never do. Or, never do again.

She ran off. It wasn't going to be permanent. Just until her mama and Doc got back from their Alaskan cruise.

She'd been walking down an old dirt road, when Tammy swooped out of nowhere in her car.

"Where the hell have you been? Don't you know that June Bug's outta her mind worryin' 'bout you?"

"You shouldn't talk like that Tammy. Ain't lady-like."

"Just what in the Sam hill are you doin'?"

"I can't take another party Tammy. In one of those dresses, in those darn ol' hose."

Tammy's face softened. For some reason, she'd been much more patient with her younger sister. In return, Penny had tried very vigilantly to leave her sister alone and not get on her nerves so much.

"I know that you're tired of always being inside, but running away ain't gonna fix anything."

Penny was struck by how familiar those words were to her. She sat down, right on the side of the road. "I know, but she treats me like I'm her pet or something. Like she's showing me off. Like I'm nothing but a poodle on that dog show Doc's daddy watches all the time."

Tammy sat down next to her. "She's not treating you like a dog. June Bug is treating you like her daughter, or her granddaughter."

"I'm Mama's daughter, and she don't treat me like that."

"June Bug's different. She's spent almost seventy years in the South. They raise kids differently here than in Nebraska, and Mama's all Nebraska. Not only that, June Bug's eighty-eight years old Penny. She's Mamaw's older sister. When she was raising her kids, and when she was raised, that's how they raised little girls. Like she's treating you now."

Penny frowned. "But if she wants a daughter, why don't she pick Mama, or you. You two are more fem-i-nine anyway, and besides that, don't you count as being more of a girl than me anyway since you got all the bits and parts?"

Tammy's eyes widened infinitesimally, but she kept her mouth shut on that one. "Perhaps, but I think you remind her more of Diana Kate."

"Who?"

Tammy frowned. "Don't surprise me none that you don't know about her. Nobody really talks about her."

"Who is she?"

Tammy frowned again, but this time in a little frustration, like she was telling a story she didn't know how to tell. "You know June Bug had a son named Charles?"

"Of course. Got himself killed in Vietnam. Stepped on a land mine. June Bug talks about him an awful lot."

"Well, I think Charles dyin' hurt her less than Diana Kate dyin'. You see, Pen, June Bug and Uncle Hew had two children. Charles was the oldest, and they had a daughter, Diana Kate. She was Mama's age. She was a lot like you. Wild and untamed, and always running around the swamps and the bayou. When she was six, she came home one day just fine. The next day, she died. Just had a fever and wouldn't wake up. It like to killed June Bug, losin' her. Uncle Hew, well, he weren't a good man in the first place. But his daughter dyin' and June Bug slippin' into depression, well, that sent him into the bottle. He started drinkin' real bad. He got right mean, and he hurt her real bad sometimes. But she never left him, Mama never said why whenever I asked. Mama said Charles volunteered to go to Vietnam to get away from this place, said it was too sad a place for him. Uncle Hew, when Charles left, got worse. Drinkin' worse and poor June Bug, she was just livin' for Charles. And then Charles died. Uncle Hew went out to the old house and blew his head off. June Bug, she had a real sad life Pen. She lost both of her children and her husband just wudn't a good man. Mamaw and Pap tried to get her to move in with them, but no dice. She stayed in this house, all alone until we came here. Mama sometimes worries about us being a burden to her, but I asked Doc about it one time. He said when he was growin' up, June Bug was the saddest, loneliest lady he knew. He said the kids used to talk about if she looked at you, you were sure to die soon. He looked real sad about that."

Penny thought he ought to. That was a real cruel thing to say about June Bug. She was the sweetest old woman she knew, and she'd been getting to know quite a few these days.

"But he said that when we came, she changed. She started to smile more. She's happier with us around. We make her happy Pen. She's been so lonely for so long, that we're not a burden to her at all. I think we're a blessing."

Penny looked down at her feet and sighed. She felt awful. Not only had she made June Bug worry, she was probably really late for the brunch. Fashionably late was acceptable, but this late was indecent.

Tammy saw the look on her face, and wrapped one arm around her. "Come on, you're already late. It'll be okay if you miss it."

Tammy helped her sister to her feet and started walking with her in the bayou.

"I wish there was a way we could help June Bug be happier. I know we make her happy, but that's not the same."

Tammy smiled in a sad sort of way. "Short of bringin' Diana Kate or Charles back, there ain't nothin' we can do."

Penny wondered briefly if Diana Kate or Charles haunted anywhere nearby, and if so, would they come see their mother. "Seein' a ghost might not be good for her health though."

"Yeah, and Mama has a strict rule against psychics."

"Side kicks?"

Tammy snickered. "Psychics. They're people who know things."

"Like what?"

"Like the future, and who you're gonna marry. Some of 'em claim to be able to talk to the dead."

Penny frowned and then looked at Tammy. "Do you believe in them?"

"Don't know. Never been to one. Pap kinda does though, and Doc does too."

That was all Penny needed. If Pap believed, then it must be true. "We need to find one that can talk to Diana Kate or Charles."

Tammy jerked her head down to look at Penny. "What? We can't do that! Mama-"

"Mama ain't here. Besides, Pap and Doc believe in them, and this is for June Bug. To help her sorta."

"Pen, I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Why?"

"What if it hurt her feelings?"

Penny frowned and they walked a little farther. "Tammy?"

"Yeah Pen?"

"If Mama and Dad stayed together, and somehow, I died from sickness and you got killed too, and then Johnny ran away only to get himself killed, and Daddy started drinkin' worse then he already did, and he beat her up before he finally killed hisself, how do you think Mama would feel?"

Tammy stopped, and looked deeply into her sister's eyes. Sometimes, Penny seemed so much older than her eight years. "I don't know Pen. Sad, and kinda like she had nothing to live for."

"I think she'd feel guilty."

"Why? Sickness isn't something you can control, and Charles made his own decision, and so did Hew."

Penny looked off into the trees. "But bein' a mama is different, I think. She might blame herself for bein' depressed, or not bein' able to save Diana Kate. Maybe June Bug felt like, if she'd left Hew and taken Charles with her, he wouldn'a gone to Vietnam, and then he'd be alive. And if Charles was alive, Hew would be too. Besides, if everyone she loved died, she might feel cursed. And no one was exactly nice to her about it. Little kids were scareda her—Doc said so himself!"

Tammy looked at her sister and sighed. "We're gonna need a telephone book. And I don't know how to go about findin' a real psychic."

Penny straightened her shoulders. "I think we'll just know. Like a gut feelin' or something. If what we're doin' is right, we'll find our side kick."

"Psychic."

"Whatever."

IIIIIIIIIII

Eight hours later, they were in New Orleans after one phone call to June Bug that Tammy had fielded. She had lied, saying she found Penny out in the garden, watching bugs. She had decided to take her shopping. June Bug had been okay with that, especially when Tammy had reminded her that June Bug had mentioned going and getting her hair done, which she couldn't have done with Penny under her feet.

It was now dark outside, and they were standing (in a not so nice part of town) outside of a small, shack-like shop that had moons and stars painted on the window, reading "Psychic: tarot, tea leaves, palm reading, and experienced medium." Smells that made Penny's nose curl drifted from inside. Purple curtains blocked severely yellowed, dimmed light from brightening the streets.

Tammy sighed, and (unlike the rest of the day, where she'd forced Penny to keep up with her) took her hand and pulled her protectively close to her body. She glanced around the streets, and walked swiftly (practically carrying Penny) into the shop. It surprised Penny for several reasons. The first, that Tammy was willingly holding her hand. The second, that Tammy had enough strength in her to carry Penny. The third, that as mad as Tammy was at her, she was still civil to her.

They'd been at it for eight hours and had seen 89 out of the 90 psychics in the telephone book. This was the last option. Penny had walked into the shop, heard the psychic talk for two minutes and told Tammy that they needed to go to the next one, that this one was a fake. She just knew it. After 89 psychics, Tammy was at her wit's end and hardly talking to Penny. Penny knew it was to keep from yelling at her, and had a sudden new appreciation for her sister's patience. She vowed she would leave Tammy completely alone for the rest of the summer if that's what it took to get back in her good graces.

A black cat watched them from on top of the counter at the front of the store. No bell tinkled, but a woman came out to greet them.

She was different, Penny could tell that right off. Not only was she dressed normally—others had been in shawls and wraps, some had worn turbans, but all had looked dressed for Halloween. They all appeared to be named Madam something (though there were at least 20 Madam Serena's). She didn't dress to fit the part, but she appeared the part more than any of the others. Her eyes were smoky blue and knowing. Something inside Penny eased, and she knew. Just like she said she would.

"Welcome. Can I help you?"

Tammy didn't answer, but looked at Penny. At this point, she was done playing nice while Penny called them all a fake. Penny, though, just smiled at her sister and nodded. Tammy, though, was not so trusting.

"We need some help. Our aunt's children died some years ago, and we'd like to contact them."

The woman smiled wryly. "You seem skeptical."

"It's not you I'm skeptical about. We've been to 89 other shops, and my sister has called them all fake. I'm waitin' for her..."

The woman looked at Penny. "What would you like to know?"

Penny looked at her. "Tell us about your gift."

The woman smiled at Penny and nodded. "My name is Allison, but most of the people I know call me Lisa. Everything else you want to know is on the sign on the window."

"And are you real?" Penny knew the answer, but she wanted to look her in the eyes. Pap said it was always the eyes that gave away a liar.

Lisa held her gaze and very solemnly said, "Yes."

"Alright then. We need your help to-"

"Contact a little girl and a soldier, yes," she said, turning around and leading them into a back room were a kitchen table sat. Tammy squeezed Penny's hand tight.

"Your aunt...she is older. Not your mother's sister, but her mother's sister. Yes?"

"That's right," Tammy whispered, voice cracking.

"What you do, you do to ease her soul. You are both very kind to an old woman."

"We love her," Penny said, solidly.

Lisa smiled kindly at Penny and nodded.

She sat them down at the table, and poured some coffee for herself, and juice for the two of them.

Tammy had warned Penny that she'd probably chant, or call on the spirits, or do something really crazy and scary.

She simply smiled and said, "I've been waiting all day for you two. The moment you decided to help your aunt Dorothy June, they showed up. They've been worried you wouldn't come. But I knew you would. Love is too powerful a thing to ignore."

"You mean, they're already here?" Tammy said, looking around.

Lisa smiled, and flipped her long black braid behind her. "Being a medium—a real one, a good one—isn't about you summoning spirits, sometimes. It's about being open to the spirits around you. Apparently, your sister has some pull with another ghost. It's a somewhat small after-life, or so I hear."

Tammy looked at Penny wide-eyed. She hadn't believed the story about Samuel—nobody had. Penny felt like she'd just been validated.

Penny took over. "Do they know how we can help June Bug?"

Lisa glanced over to the kitchen door and seemed to be listening, and both girls assumed that she was.

"They say that already given her the family she longed for. All you have left to do is to please make her comfortable," Lisa's eyes turned sad. "She doesn't have long to live, it seems."

Tammy and Penny squeezed hands again, Tammy teared up and Penny looked away.

"Is there anything else?"

Lisa smiled kindly at them. "No, except Samuel said to say hello to you both."

Penny smiled. "Tell him, I said hey, please."

Lisa nodded the confirmation.

Tammy cleared her throat. "How much do we owe you?"

Both girls had cleaned out their piggy banks (and Johnny's, but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it), and had a hundred dollars between them.

"Not a thing. When ghosts come to me, I feel it's more of my duty to get their message to others. And I'll give you both a small reading. For you, Tammy-"

Tammy's eyes widened.

Lisa smiled, amused. "For you, there is a path. You will not like it, but it is coming fast and coming soon. If you choose this path, you will live happily for the rest of your life. Deny this path, and you will live as unhappily as your aunt. Alone for the rest of your life."

"Can you be more specific?"

"No. You must make the decision on your own."

Penny could tell that irritated Tammy.

"For you, little Penelope, you will have to give up everything. You will reach a point in your life where there is no light, not even in yourself. There will be no happiness. You must find yourself, remember yourself, in the darkness. And when you do that, your life will become ordered out of chaos. Like a fractal."

Tammy cringed at what Penny's prediction, screaming inside to protect the bubbly blonde, and grumbled. "You couldna told us something about our love lives?"

Lisa smiled grimly. "I just did."

IIIIIIIIIII

When they got home that night, they both gave June Bug tight hugs, and Penny apologized for missing the brunch. June Bug kissed her head and said she'd saved them both some apricot tarts.

Tammy spent more time at home, and less time with her friends. Doc and their mother returned from their Alaskan cruise two days before Johnny returned from space camp.

They'd had to work off stealing his money. (They may not have had to pay Lisa, but they did have to buy gas and supper...and movie tickets, popcorn, sodas, and the new Depeche Mode tape.) Penny didn't get to avoid Tammy like she'd planned, and instead spent most of her time pulling weeds and doing yard work for the neighbors to pay Johnny back. They'd gotten closer than either had thought possible.

IIIIIIIIIII

She knew psychics were real, but two minutes with Leonard had her feeling like an idiot and like she'd been duped all of her life. He could make her doubt dozens of memories. Memories that were burnt into her head like a brand. It put her teeth on edge and made her cry.

That was another thing that was bothering her. She spent more time crying in this relationship than she did smiling. She couldn't remember the last time he'd made her laugh. He was too ashamed of her to tell his mother about her. He ridiculed (if not overtly) her for never finishing community college. He was constantly "superior" to her. He didn't see Penny. He saw a beautiful blonde. He was jealous to the point of idiocy.

But the psychic had her sick to her stomach. To help her career, all she had to do was cut her hair. The future of her love life, though, was a little more intimidating.

The words still pounded in her brain. "What about the man I'll marry?" she'd asked excitedly.

Leonard hadn't even been in her mind. She was aware that she didn't love him. That he was comfortable. That he was safe. That he didn't make her heart pitter-pat. That he registered on her sex monitor as a flat-line. That what she was doing was wrong, and it was hurting them both. That it was unhealthy.

"You already know the man you will marry. With him, you are safe. With him, you are comfortable. You will support him completely. You hold him above all the others."

She didn't really hold Leonard above the others—hell, after last night, she was pretty sure she'd rather date Howard than Leonard because at least he was willing to listen to her beliefs about psychics. He hadn't laughed at her. He'd stood up for her. But he was also Howard, which was incredibly gross. But she did tend to take Leonard's side because that's what was expected since she was his girlfriend.

Penny dropped her head and grabbed a fistful of her newly short hair. It was bobbed to her chin, stacked in the back, and angled sharply. She'd done it herself last night after their date and had spent the day at auditions. Eight of them.

Penny scoffed. Three things bothered her above all others. The least was when she considered how much sci-fi/fantasy crap they were into, why didn't they at least believe in it a little. The second was how Leonard made her feel. But the greatest of all was that Leonard expected her full support in everything she did and acted like a child when he didn't get it...but he wouldn't offer the same in return. He didn't support her acting career. He didn't support her being a waitress. He didn't support her beliefs about anything—from psychics, magic, ghosts, voodoo, angels, God, time travel, or ESP. Nothing.

She sniffled and wished Sheldon were there to tell her what to do. At least, of all things, he could tell her that he'd been right in saying she and Leonard were doomed. She smiled. She should have listened then. Sheldon was always right.

Penny sighed. It would be the first time that a psychic she had gone to was wrong. But she would not spend her life with Leonard Hofstadter. She would make her own path. She would end it. Tonight.

She got up and crossed her apartment to her door.

Her phone let out a particularly loud ring from its place on her coffee table. Her heart stopped. She crossed her fingers, and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Is this Penelope Bradley?"

"This is she. And it's just Penny."

"I'm calling concerning your audition for the part in an upcoming series to premiere on CBS this fall."

"Yes?"

"You didn't get the part you auditioned for. However, there is another part that we were going to cast another actress in, but we'd like you to play it instead. You're perfect for it. Exactly what we need. The part is actually a larger role. You'd be on for the entire season, probably the series. Is it something you're interested in?"

Penny nearly dropped the phone before she realized she needed to answer.

When Penny got off the phone, several hours later, it was like a weight had been lifted off her heart. Everything was falling into place.

She looked back at the door. If the psychic was right about that, then was she possibly right about the other?

Unsure, she glanced down at her phone and did the only thing she could do now. She called Tammy.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I thought it was time that Tammy was truly introduced to us. Their relationship needed developing a little, and will further develop in the coming chapter.


	5. The Clairvoyant Prediction

Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter.

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

The Clairvoyant Prediction

Diana Crescent

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Hello?" a voice asked groggily from the receiver.

"Tammy? It's Penny."

She heard her sister rustle the covers to sit up. "Hang on a minute Pen. Is something wrong?"

Penny sighed. "I'm sorry for calling so late. I should have waited until morning, but I didn't know how busy you'd be."

"Is something wrong?" Tammy repeated, patient with her sister despite being woken up.

"Kinda."

"What's kinda?"

Penny felt tears starting to prick her eyes, her chest and throat started to burn, and her nose started to run. "It's my boyfriend," she managed to choke out.

"What's wrong? Did he hit you? Is he hurt? What happened Penny, tell me!"

Penny sniffled loudly, and began the whole story from going to see the psychic all the way to getting the part.

"You got a lead part! Penny that's great! Have you called Mama yet?"

"No. Tammy, what do I do about Leonard?"

"Who's Leonard?"

"My boyfriend!" Penny said, feeling out of sorts.

"Well, then, who's Sheldon? You're always talkin' 'bout him!"

"Sheldon's my friend. My best friend."

"Oh. I just figured you were dating Sheldon, much as you talk about him. So Leonard treated you this way then? Not Sheldon?"

"No! Sheldon would never treat me that way."

"And you want my honest advice?"

"Of course," Penny said, steeling herself for whatever her sister was about to tell her.

"I say you dump Leonard and date Sheldon. He sounds like a real keeper, from what I hear about him."

Penny hadn't been prepared for that. "Huh?"

"Penny, think about it. Sheldon's the only one we really ever hear about—it's always Sheldon this and Sheldon that. He's real smart, has an extraordinary job, and he treats you like an equal, which is much better than this Leonard guy."

Penny smiled. "He is sweet isn't he?" she asked, thinking of all the times that he'd helped her.

"There's more to this story than you're telling," Tammy said, settling herself down to her kitchen table with a bag of popcorn.

Penny leaned back into her couch and started telling her about how sweet he was. "Well, one time he loaned me some money because I was short for rent-"

"How much?

"Like a thousand dollars."

"Holy crap on a cracker!"

"I'd lent some money to someone and they hadn't paid me back. Sheldon loaned me the money, and then he never brought it up. He just figured I'd pay him back when I could."

"What else?"

"Okay, so Sheldon is a little different. He's so smart he's..."

"Socially inept?"

"Kinda. So one time, he was trying to make friends with someone so he could use some machine for his work, and he had us take a quiz about him. I think I got all the questions wrong. Anyway, he said that he didn't think he could maintain five friendships, and he had to get rid of one of us-"

Tammy was snorting silently. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Anyway, like I said, I'm pretty sure I got all the questions wrong, but he kept me."

"Oh, Pen! That's so sweet! Anything else?"

"Well, a few months ago I slipped in my shower, and dislocated my shoulder-"

"You never told me that! Doesn't matter, keep going!"

"He came to my rescue. Drove me to the hospital, even though he doesn't have a license. Sat with me, even though he hates hospitals and claims they're breeding grounds for germs. And he made sure I got into bed alright, and sang me to sleep when I asked him to. Then he bought me some adhesive flowers so I wouldn't slip in the shower anymore."

"Oh Pen! Does Leonard do anything like that, is that why you're havin' such a hard time dumpin' him?"

"No. All he seems to do is ridicule and make me feel stupid. He can be sweet, but I spend more time fightin' with him, and feelin' worthless," she said, noticing slightly that her accent was showing up. Like Sheldon, she only did that when seriously emotional, as she'd trained herself to do since coming to California.

"Seems to me like you really need to think about what June Bug said before she died. You do some thinkin' and we'll talk in the morning. Love you, darlin'."

Penny sat quietly after they hung up, recalling that childhood memory that was desperately painful to remember.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny sat at the bed of her great aunt, reading the book of Zechariah aloud to tiny, frail woman in the bed. The sun was shining outside, and the humidity was making her hair curl, even inside the house.

Tammy had gotten a summer job to help pay for college. She was going to Tulane to be a lawyer, and believed that she could make it on her own if she didn't have to pay room and board. Her plan was to still live with them, and commute to and from campus everyday. In order to do that, she was currently waitressing at the local diner.

Johnny had gotten a summer job as well. He was working with a roofing company, doing shingling.

That, for the second summer, left Penny alone with June Bug.

Technically, she wasn't alone. Doc was seeing to his other patients, and her Mama was with the twins. Penny now had a younger brother and sister, who were four months old. Her mother, unable to take care of June Bug and two babies alone, had sat Penny down and asked her to please help her take care of them all. Penny, knowing that her mother wouldn't have done this unless there'd been no other choice, agreed.

Penny decided, on her own, that she'd do her utmost to take care of June Bug without having to stress her mother out so much. So, she'd taken on the responsibility of her dying aunt, shielding her mother from just how bad June Bug was most days. Her mother cleaned, cooked, paid the bills, and watched her two youngest children. Penny, so far, had spent her summer reading to June Bug, making sure she took her medicine, and playing nursemaid.

It wasn't the most pleasing duty, and she was tired all the time, but she kept going. Because June Bug was important to her, and she knew that she could make her comfortable if she tried hard enough.

Penny's mother tried to give her time off, coming in when Nell and Kitt were asleep, but Penny didn't go. Instead, mother and daughter sat quietly in the darkened room, reading to the woman or holding hands, until one of the twins woke up.

Most nights, when Penny finally went to bed, her mother would come in and hold her tightly until she slept. Penny figured it was the only way she had to apologize to her, to show her how proud she was. Most nights, Penny needed her mother to hold her, to let her know it would be alright, even if June Bug was dying.

So her days were spent on a very rigid schedule. June Bug had to have her medication at eight every morning. So Penny woke up at six and got ready. Between seven and eight, she would feed June Bug oatmeal, then give her the medication. June Bug would talk to her for a couple of hours about different things, mostly her memories, and then Penny would read the Bible to her until lunch time. At lunch, Penny would again feed her, before eating a quick meal herself. She gave her a second dose of medication at one. Between one and three, Penny would continue reading the Bible and playing old records softly in the background. At three, her mother would come in, quietly tell her to go outside and play—which Penny refused to do—and begin reading where Penny left off, until around four, when the twins would wake up. At four, June Bug, usually drifted off to an uneasy sleep until Penny had to wake her up at five for the third dose of medication. At six, Penny or her mother would feed June Bug supper, while Doc or Tammy took care of Nell and Kitt. At seven, Penny was sent downstairs to eat, and have a break. Tammy would play a game with her, and Johnny would come in from work. He would clean up, and then join the game. Doc and their mother would see to June Bug off and on during the night, while Tammy and Johnny were in charge of Nell and Kitt. Penny was the only one that got to rest the full night.

Johnny had mentioned that it wasn't fair only once. Their mother had told him quite swiftly to shut his mouth, that Penny spent twelve hours a day with a dying woman taking complete care of her, and if he thought that eight to ten hours a day roofing were hard, he should be in Penny's shoes. He'd never mentioned it again after one weekend where he'd spent the day with Penny and June Bug.

He hadn't been able to handle it again. There was something about watching a person die that he just couldn't stand. He'd been buying Penny little trinkets since, in a way, she supposed, to apologize for what he'd said. Tammy, when she wasn't working, spent her free time trying to keep Penny's attention on something other than their dying aunt.

Penny, for her part, didn't sleep very well anymore anyway. Too many bad dreams. She typically sneaked into the babies' room to watch them in the night. Doc was the only one who knew that she did it, because sometimes, if June Bug was sleeping, he'd come in and hold her tightly, and they'd watch them together. And when she finally drifted off back to sleep, he'd carry her back to her room and tuck her back in.

This particular day, June Bug spent more time sleeping than listening to Penny read. Rather than stop reading and sit there going out of her mind, Penny had kept reading. She was almost done with the Old Testament anyway.

Penny glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still two hours until June Bug was to eat lunch. Penny sighed, and stretched a little. Her back was hurting from sitting in the chair so long, and she was pretty sure that her legs were numb.

Her mother walked in quietly. "I brought you a snack. You only had half your oatmeal this morning."

Penny didn't want to tell her mother that since June Bug had gotten sick, she'd begun to hate oatmeal, and didn't think she'd ever eat it again as long as she lived.

Her mother sat down a plate with chocolate chip cookies down, and a glass of orange juice. Her favorites. She glanced up at her mother and smiled, but didn't eat them. She just looked back at the woman on the bed and started to cry silently.

Her mother hugged her tightly and just let her cry. Lexa figured her daughter needed it.

"I'm sorry," Penny said. For what, she didn't know. But she just kept saying it.

"Why on earth are you sorry? I'm sorry baby. I should have never asked you to do this. It's all my fault," Lexa said, clutching Penny tightly.

"You couldna done it on your own, Mama. You needed help. 'Sides, I'da tried to help you anyway."

Lexa squeezed her again. "I know baby."

A knock sounded from downstairs, and Lexa sighed. She didn't want to let go of her daughter, but she needed to answer the door. It was June Bug's lawyer. She'd asked them last night to send for him. That there was some business she needed to take care of.

"Who's that?"

"Mr. Deveraux, baby. He's here about some legal matters June Bug wants handled."

"Should I wake her up?"

"You might oughtta. I'll go get the door."

Penny nodded and gently woke up her aunt.

"Penny dear, is it time for my med'cine?"

"No ma'am. Mr. Dev'ro's here. Mama went to get the door."

"Help an old lady sit up, won't you? I want you to remember this, Miss Penny. If ever you have to receive company while in bed, you must do it sitting up. If you're awake that is. If you're sleeping, you shouldn't receive company."

"What if you're in the hospital and hurt though, ma'am?"

"That's different. You're not receiving company. You're receiving visitors."

Penny didn't get a chance to ask for clarification, as Mr. Deveraux came in. He was a short, round little man, with a kind smile, a bald-on-top head, round glasses, and a mustache two shades darker than his real hair. Penny liked him immensely, as he always brought her a life saver when he came. He didn't disappoint.

June Bug smiled as Penny fluffed her pillows and straightened her covers. "Penny dear, I want you to do me a favor."

"Yes ma'am?"

"I want you to go outside and tell me what everything looks like when you come back. What the sky's like, what birds are singing, what it smells like, and if my grass is grown beyond itself. And be sure to look at my flowers, and see what needs weedin' and waterin'. If any yard work needs done, you tell me, and I'll get Kipp Little down here to fix it. Alrighty?"

"Yes ma'am." Penny smiled politely at Mr. Deveraux, before closing the door behind her. She went to the kitchen and told her mother that she would be out working in the yard and to come get her when June Bug needed her medicine.

She didn't have the heart to tell June Bug that Kipp Little had died three weeks before from a heart attack, and his son had already sold the business to someone else.

Penny made a mental note of the sky, the birds, the wind, the weather, and began to weed out the flowers from around the veranda, sucking on her orange life saver. She'd been working on that a good hour when her mother brought her some water.

"It's not time yet, but I don't want you getting sick from all this heat. Besides, I can get Tammy or Johnny to do the yard work, or I'll do it when Kitt and Nell are sleeping this afternoon. I want you to play."

Penny sipped the water. "I don't really feel like playin' Mama. I'd rather work on the weeds and the yard while June Bug's talkin' to Mr. Dev'ro. If I don't finish, then someone else can later."

Lexa caressed her daughter's sweaty head, and kissed her forehead once. "You're a good person, Penelope Bradley."

Penny smiled and hugged her mother tightly. "I learned some of it from you and June Bug."

Lexa smiled and hugged her back before going back into the house.

At around one, Mr. Deveraux finally left, giving Penny a couple more life savers, this time grape and cherry, before departing with the tip of his hat. She'd already weeded the flowers and was halfway through mowing the grass with June Bug's ancient lawn mower (nothing more than a pair of blades on wheels) when her mother signaled her inside.

She was sweaty and smelled of grass. Her mother fixed her lunch and June Bug's while Penny washed her face and hands. She was sent upstairs with a bowl of soup for June Bug, and a sandwich and cookies for herself.

While they ate, some time after June Bug had her medication, June Bug started talking to Penny about Hew.

"Your uncle Matthew was older than me. Did you know that?"

"No, ma'am. You don't ever talk about him much."

"He's not worth remembering much," June Bug said plainly. It was the first time Penny had ever heard her speak ill of anyone.

"If'n you don't mind me askin', why didn't you divorce him?"

June Bug sighed and sat back. "Couple a reasons. Back then, people just didn't get divorces. It was scandalous. And if I did divorce him, I couldn't have gotten a job to raise my children, and no one else would have supported me. Not only that, I wasn't too sure the judge wouldn't grant him custody, and not me. But my mother..."

"Your mama, ma'am?" Penny said, holding out another spoonful of French onion soup.

June Bug looked distinctly sad, angry, and tired all at once. June Bug shook her head at Penny's offering, and Penny made a mental note that June Bug hadn't eaten as much as the day before.

"My mother once told me, not long after Matthew started becoming abusive, that if I left him for such a silly thing that she would disown me."

"But abuse ain't silly."

"Ain't isn't a word child. It's too common."

"Yes ma'am. Abuse isn't silly."

"No it's not. But my mother had never been abused. And she wasn't around to see how bad Hew really was. I never spoke to her after that though. I suppose I should have. But I'll never forget her words. She said to me, 'Dorothy June, so help me. If you even think that I'll support your leavin' Matthew, you've got another think comin'. But I'll tell you this much, you leave that man for so silly a reason as him hittin' you, you'll never be welcome in this house again. And don't you forget it.' And I never did."

Penny kept silent. She knew, in her heart, that if a man ever hit her, or did her the way Hew did June Bug, she'd leave him in a heart beat. And her mama'd be mad at her if she didn't leave him.

"Penny dear, I want you to promise me something. Can you do that?"

"Yes ma'am."

"If a man ever, and I do mean ever, treats you poorly. He don't have to hit you to abuse you. Making you feel bad about things all the time is emotional abuse. Making you hate yourself is abuse. If a man ever does that, I want you to promise me, that if he cheats on you, lies to you, makes you cry all the time—and not in a good way—or hurts your feelings, or he hits you, I want you to leave him. You don't worry about any of the hard stuff til it starts coming, you hear. I want you happy, and I want you to think of me and what I've said. No man is worth spending your life miserable. It's too long to be miserable all the time and too short to waste it that way. Life's meant for joy, and I've had too little of that in mine."

Penny's eyes teared again, but she nodded solemnly. "Yes ma'am. I promise."

"Good. I don't want you stuck with a man like Hew or like your own daddy for that matter. Your mother's a much smarter woman. I shoulda known back then that my sister Elizabeth, your Mamaw, woulda helped me in a heartbeat. But I was too worried about my mama, and not worried enough about me and my children."

Penny took June Bug's hand and held it tight. "I want to marry a man like Doc, or like my Pap."

"You just keep that in mind, Penny dear, and you'll be just fine."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It was much later that night, when Penny woke up from another bad dream. Lights were on in the hallway, and she could hear Doc and her mother talking.

"Lexa, I think this is it. I don't see her makin' it til mornin'."

"This is gonna just kill Penny. She's tried so hard."

"I know it will, but I think Penny knows that she's been dyin' a long time now."

She heard her mother sniffle a little and heard Doc kiss her, and sigh. Penny got up out of bed, and walked out.

"Do you really think she's dyin' right now?" she whispered from her doorway.

"What are you doin' up?" Lexa asked, holding her arm out for her daughter to come get a hug.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Another bad dream?" Doc asked, looking at the purple rings under her eyes.

"Yes sir."

Lexa sighed and caressed her hair.

"Man I see her, please?"

"I don't know."

"Please, ma'am. I want to tell her I love her, just once more."

Lexa's eyes swam with tears again, and she nodded. "Alright, but not too long."

"Shouldn't you get Johnny and Tammy?"

Lexa and Doc exchanged glances, but nodded. Lexa went down the hall for her two oldest children, while Doc took Penny's hand and lead her to June Bug's room.

June Bug was staring at the ceiling, her breath coming fast and ragged, like it hurt her to breathe.

"June Bug?"

"Penny...dear. What are...you...doin' up?"

"Comin' to see you, ma'am. I wanted to let you know, that I love you much. Bushels and pecks."

June Bug smiled just a little. "I love...you too, darlin'."

Tammy and Johnny crowed into the room, sleepily. Tammy was holding Nell, and her mother had Kitt. Johnny looked worse for the wear, like he was already crying.

Tammy came over and kissed June Bug's head, and told her that she loved her. Johnny did the same, his voice much quieter and much more gravelly than normal.

"I'm...so glad...you're all here...especially considerin'..."

"Considerin' what, ma'am?" Penny asked.

Lexa hushed her daughter, not wanting June Bug to have to say it.

"Considerin' that you...all came from so far to see me. What with Tammy...in D.C. with her family, and Johnny...so busy in New Orleans. And Miss Penny here shootin' that movie in L.A...so proud of you all."

Penny's eyes widened. "Ma'am?"

"Oh, Penny dear, I'm...so proud of you all. Tammy a lawyer...and your brother a doctor. Why...you're a great actress. And Kitt playin' football at UT, and Nell at school in New York. You're all...so accomplished."

Everyone was silent, not knowing what to say. Penny took a deep breath. "Of course we'd be here, June Bug. We love you so much. But we know, you've been waitin' a long time..." her voice broke. "You've been waitin' a long time, so why don't you rest. You'll see Charles and Diana Kate soon ma'am."

June Bug closed her eyes, and her breathing slowed. "I have been...missin' them, something...fierce."

Penny held her hand until her breathing stopped altogether. And then she cried. Really cried.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny had come to hate that summer, more than any other. It was the reason she hated routine so much—couldn't stand it. And then she'd met Sheldon who lived his life that way, which drove her batty. Spending two months on June Bug's schedule had made her itch anytime she got near a routine. She also never ate oatmeal because of this. That's why she'd fixed French toast for Sheldon that Tuesday not so very long ago, even though she'd known that Tuesday was oatmeal day.

That summer had also left Penny with her share of the will. Mr. Deveraux had fixed June Bug's will to her new specifications. Tammy got all the dishes and silver because "she was going to marry a very influential man." Johnny got the house and the land, cause "he was going to need a place for his roots." Nell had gotten the jewelry, and Kitt all the Civil War relics in the house (there was as much of the relics as there was jewelry—a lot, of both). Her mother and Doc got the furniture. And "because she was going to be famous, and would need to support herself," Penny got the money.

All two million dollars of it.

It was still sitting in the bank accruing interest, and was currently sitting at closer to five million. She refused to touch it, and hadn't in the seventeen years since June Bug had died. Not that she could anyway, until her twenty-seventh birthday, which was just six months away.

Penny had asked her mother about what June Bug had said, both as she died, and later as her will was read. Lexa had only known that sometimes, people just knew things. She herself had experienced it when her grandmother, June Bug's mother, had died, and believed that June Bug would turn out to be right, just as her mother had.

So far she had, with Tammy a brilliant lawyer, Johnny a neurosurgeon, Kitt the staring quarter-back in his junior year of high school, and Nell already looking at art schools in New York City. The only difference was Tammy wasn't shooting a movie. But she was on her way to being a TV star.

Penny's hands shook as she remembered her promise to June Bug for the second time that night. She'd promised she'd leave any man that treated her that way.

She knew what she had to do.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny walked in to the neighboring apartment without so much as a knock, as always. Sheldon looked up from his desk a little, and did a double take as he noticed her hair.

"Hey Moonpie, where's Leonard?"

"He went downstairs to throw away some trash. He should be back momentarily. Penny, you cut your hair."

"I did."

"Why?"

"My psychic told me to."

Sheldon frowned. "It looks appealing, but why did your psychic tell you to? What purpose would it serve?"

"Changes my look for acting. It would help me get a part."

Sheldon frowned at her. "And did it?" he asked skeptically.

"Yep."

"Oh. Alright then," he said, and turned back to his computer.

"That's it?"

"Oh, right! Congratulations!"

"No, Sheldon, I didn't mean that. I just figured you were going to make fun of me for seeing a psychic."

"While I do not believe in such abilities, you do, which is your free will to do so. It also would be foolish to argue with you about it, considering, in this instance, that your psychic seemed to be right. Though one could put it down as being coincidence..."

Penny smiled, "I didn't think you would believe in coincidences."

"Normally, I don't, but given the circumstances, I really don't care what made you get the part. I'm just glad that you got it. I know it made you happy."

Penny went over to stand by him. "So you don't think I'm stupid for believing in psychics?"

"Penny, I think a great many things about you. While you are nowhere near as intelligent as I am, you are by no means stupid, as you say."

Penny couldn't help herself. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Sheldon, please do me one favor."

"What's that?" he asked, his head turned just slightly, so not to be directly face to face, and therefore mouth to mouth with her. She was, afterall, Leonard's girlfriend.

"Please never change how utterly sweet and charming you are."

"Sarcasm?"

"No, moonpie. I'd never be sarcastic about that."

"What's going on here?" Leonard asked, standing at the door with a weird look on his face.

Penny stood up with a sad look on her face. She caressed Sheldon's cheek softly and whispered her apologies.

"Leonard, we need to talk."

"Did you cut your hair?"

"Yes, Leonard. I told you last night I would be cutting my hair."

"No, you said last night that your psychic told you to. I didn't think you'd be dumb enough to actually do it."

Sheldon's eyes widened. Both at what Leonard said, and the look on Penny's face was enough to let him know that Leonard was a dead man. He began searching prime locations to help her hide the body.

"You know what I didn't think I'd actually be dumb enough to do, Leonard?"

"What's that?"

"Stay with a creep like you. I can't believe that at some point in this relationship, I started putting up with your petty jealousy about me offering my couch to friends. That I'd listen to your whiny crap. That I would give in to your wishes just to make sure we didn't have a fight. That I'd take all of that negative crap you keep throwing at me. That derisive ridicule-"

"Oh very good Penny," Sheldon whispered.

"That you keep shoving down my throat about my job, about my acting, about my beliefs, about who I am. Honestly, if you have such a problem with me, why do you date me in the first place? You know what, don't try answering that, because I'm smart enough to tell you the answer. You date me because I'm blonde, I'm beautiful, and I'm good in bed. That's it. Because you'll never get an arm trophy as good as me, and you'll deal with everything else, just to keep that. Well let me tell you something, mister, I don't need you. I can support myself. I'd rather date a dozen Kurts than one Leonard Hofstadter. I'm tired of dealing with you and your crap. I will not be with a man I do not love—that's right Leonard. I don't love you. And further more, I won't marry a man like my father, and I refuse to be like June Bug. I will not spend my life miserable. I made that promise, and I intend to keep it."

"You're breaking up with me because you believe in psychics and I don't!"

"Leonard, I believe that that is not the issue. What I believe Penny has quite eloquently said is that she is breaking up with you because of how emotionally abusive you have become."

"Stay out of this Sheldon!"

"Don't you yell at him!" Penny screamed.

"Now you're sticking up for him?"

"Sheldon is my best friend! And I'll take his side any day of the week! And he's right, besides that, just like he always is."

"You always take his side! He's always been more important to you than me!"

Penny stepped back, and her mouth dropped open. _You hold him above all others._ "He's there for me, and you never are. I can...be myself around him without feeling like he's going to make fun of me."

Penny turned around to look at Sheldon. He watched as utter joy and understanding spread across her face. It was a look that he hadn't seen from her in a long time, and she looked truly beautiful. And her smile, for the first time in a long time, reached her eyes. He smiled back at her, in encouragement.

She knew that no matter what Leonard said, Sheldon was going to protect her, keep her safe. She was comfortable in her own skin around him. She did hold him above the others. And she always supported him, even if she was pushing him to change. Sheldon, not Leonard, was the man she was going to marry. She laughed from sheer joy.

Sheldon thought she'd gone around the deep end.

Penny smiled. "Order out of chaos. Like a fractal. Had to lose myself and find myself in the dark to remember." She almost started crying.

"Oh, very good Penny," Sheldon praised, understanding most of what she was saying. At least she knew what a fractal was.

Leonard growled. "Hello? Are you finished. My god, you can't even keep one idea in your head to hold an entire conversation."

Penny walked over to him, much happier than he'd seen her in awhile. He didn't see her right hook coming. He felt it though, for the few minutes he stayed awake.

She looked back at Sheldon. "Sorry about that Moonpie."

"I just hope he doesn't get blood on the floor."

"You can stay at my place until he cleans it up."

Sheldon looked at his roommate, and then at the woman who'd just laid him out flat. "Alrighty."

The next morning, she and Tammy laughed through the retelling of the story, and been utterly pleased with her realization. Sheldon was still asleep in her bed. She didn't even mind that she'd had to take the couch.

Penny made French toast, even though it was Tuesday, and after he woke up, Sheldon ate it.

Hope you like this one, even though it's sad.


	6. The Goompa Reintegration

Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter.

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

6. The Goompa Reintegration

Diana Crescent

IIIIIIIIIIIII

In the three months since she had dumped Leonard (and broken his nose), Penny and Sheldon had become closer, and she'd started her work for her TV show. She was playing the role of a bad-ass vampire working on stopping demons and monsters with a secret government agency. It was called SNOW, which stood for her fictitious agency, Super Natural and Other Worldly. It was almost a cross between NCIS and Hellboy.

The guys, even Leonard, loved the pilot she'd managed to get them into for screening.

Today was the first day she'd had to herself in weeks, and she'd planned on sleeping in. That didn't happen though, because at seven this morning, Johnny had knocked on her door. He was in town for a week at a conference and was hoping to crash at her place. At seven, she'd felt like telling him no. But then she'd remembered this was her big brother and had opened the door.

Penny came out of her bedroom, still sleepy, but decidedly in a better mood now that she'd had a shower. Johnny had made eggs, bacon, and coffee.

"You don't have any milk for our coffee," he said, glancing back at her.

She smiled, picked up her mug and walked out to the apartment across the hall. She motioned for her brother to follow.

Sheldon was standing at the island, making himself some hot tea when she came in. Without glancing up, he slid the milk her way.

"Thanks moonpie."

"You're up earlier than normal."

"That's my fault," Johnny said, eyeing the tall Texan who seemed so at ease with his sister.

Sheldon glanced up then, staring at the older blonde male, who was as tall as he was, but with a more muscled physique. He also watched, irritated, as Penny poured some milk in the stranger's coffee.

"Johnny, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon, this is Dr. John Bradley, my brother."

Irritation gone, Sheldon smiled, and shook hands with the fellow doctor. For once, he didn't feel the need to expand on his title.

"Sheldon is a theoretical physicist. He's studying heterotic string theory. Johnny's a neurosurgeon in New Orleans."

Both were a little shocked that Penny knew so much about physics, but seemed interested in the other's career. She watched as they hit it off. She smiled, and lead both men back to her apartment where she placed them at her kitchen island, and began feeding them the eggs and bacon Johnny had cooked.

She jumped when Sheldon addressed her. "Penny, I was wondering. My mother and sister are coming for a week, and they'll be here today. Will you please let them in while I'm at work."

"Sure moonpie."

Johnny watched the exchange between the two, and hid his smile. It had been Tammy's idea for him to crash at Penny's, and to size this Dr. Cooper up. He liked Sheldon, and had to say that they were good together. He'd have to sneak away to call her.

"Well, Dr. Cooper, I've got to be to CalTech for a seminar. Would you mind if we take my car?"

Penny turned a suspicious eye on Johnny, who looked innocently back at her. "

"Certainly not, Dr. Bradley."

"Call me Johnny. Everybody does."

"You must call me Sheldon."

Later that day, Penny greeted Mary, Missy, and Melinda (aka Meemaw) at the door. She let them in and was somehow roped into going shopping. While there, Penny heard so many Cooper family stories that she was sure she knew more about Sheldon's family than he did. She also found out that Sheldon's older brother Whit was flying in later today. They were getting together to celebrate Sheldon and Missy's thirtieth birthdays, while dealing with the seventeenth anniversary of the passing of Goompa, Meemaw's husband. His real name was Sheldon Lee Browning, and was Mary's father.

Penny hmmed a little, but thought nothing of it, until Meemaw (she'd insisted Penny call her that) showed her a picture of Sheldon's grandfather, and she'd let the memory overtake her as the others kept on shopping, unaware that the petite blonde was reliving her own seventeenth anniversary.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The Briere (Tammy, Johnny, and Penny considered themselves such, even if their legal name was Bradley) was now living in Omaha. With the death of June Bug, no one had really felt like living in her, now Johnny's, house. So Doc had moved his practice, and his brother Eli had taken over the parish's practice. They'd bought a farm half-way between Kennard and Omaha, but mostly insisted they lived in Omaha. While Doc worked in family medicine, Lexa ran the farm.

It had irritated Tammy to no end. She had been given the option of staying in Louisiana to attend Tulane like she planned, but instead had decided to move back with her family. It had been her worst decision ever, she'd declared, until she met one Mr. Jonah Marley, marine second lieutenant when he was on leave at Christmas. They were getting married in two weeks. Tammy had transferred her hours from Omaha Community College to Georgetown, and was a month pregnant as they would find out not too many weeks later. While Jonah was at Quantico, Tammy would get her law degree.

Penny, in a fit of curiosity, had asked Jonah if he was related to one Samuel Marley, who died in the Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War. Jonah, as it turned out, was Samuel's great-great grandson. Tammy and Penny had decided that people were indeed connected in the greater scheme of things and decided to keep their trip to the psychic two years ago secret.

Penny and Johnny rather liked Jonah, as he was a great deal like Doc and Pap. Doc and Lexa had found another son in Jonah, and he acted like he'd been a part of the family for years. He liked to make Tammy laugh, played sports with Johnny, helped care for Nell and Kitt, and taught Penny about the stars and constellations. She could navigate her way around in the dark as well, or better, than she could in the day thanks to Jonah's teachings.

He'd also promised that Penny could come spend some time in the summer with Tammy next year, and had helped Johnny restore an old 1965 Ford Mustang, which they'd recently painted candy apple red with white race stripes.

As Jonah and Tammy were out picking flowers and cakes (which Lexa insisted should have been done months before), Penny and Johnny were finishing the last waxing of Johnny's new car. He'd turned sixteen the day before, and had gotten his license with Doc and Jonah present. Their father had called the night before to suggest that he take Johnny today. Johnny had not been gentle in telling his father he'd already gotten his license, no thanks to him. Meredith was still the bane of their existence, and made sure that they didn't spend much time with Bill Bradley. For the most part, they didn't mind too much. Doc was enough of a father to them, that they didn't really need any other father than the one they had.

So Johnny and Penny were left alone while everyone else was out. He'd taken one look at the car and one look at his sister, and said the thing she'd been hoping he'd say all day. "Wanna go out for a spin?"

She'd nodded, smiling, and hoped into the mustang. She'd be his first real passenger.

Johnny took her everywhere, playing the stereo on full blast. They were listening to the Nirvana cd she'd gotten him for his birthday.

He drove her all over the country roads, both of them laughing, talking, and singing together. They made their way into the city, windows rolled down, her long hair billowing in the wind. In that moment, Johnny was the absolute coolest person she knew.

They sat at a red light, waiting to turn left. He pulled a lock of her hair, and laughed as she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

Her favorite song came on, and she started singing at the top of her lungs, waiting for Johnny to join her. The light turned green, and Johnny started into the turn, smiling at her.

She heard him scream her name, at she watched the front grill of the semi slam into her side of the car.

She didn't hear anything after that.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny stood silently next to the man beside her. He was tall, angular, and held that same quiet strength that Doc, Pap, and Jonah all held, and that Johnny was slowly developing. She liked him immensely, if not only for that, but because he'd also saved her life. He also smelled like pipe tobacco, peppermint, downey, and hazelnut coffee.

She remembered Johnny screaming her name, and seeing the semi run his red light. She'd become suddenly warm, right before the truck had hit, like someone had thrown a blanket over her. She'd woken up being carried by him, but as soon as she was awake, he'd sat her on her feet.

He hadn't stopped holding her hand.

They were watching an operation. She was almost sure it was on her.

"Is Johnny okay?" she asked.

The man looked down, and nodded, solemnly. "Yes. He's alright. He's got some minor cuts and bruises, but mostly he's upset about you. He thinks it's his fault. He's afraid you're going to die."

"Am I?"

"I don't know yet."

"I hope not."

"Me too."

Penny looked at the angles of his face, feeling they were somehow familiar to her—somehow she'd seen them before, but elsewhere. A blur of light and the scent of the swamp had her thinking back to when she was younger and in Louisiana. Something about an alligator and a doctor.

"What's your name?"

"Sheldon. But my grandchildren call me Goompa. You can call me that."

"I call my grandpa Pap, and Doc's daddy's called Bump. My daddy's daddy likes to be called Grandfather."

"What is your name?"

"Penny. Well, it's Penelope Bradley, but most everybody calls me Penny."

"Nice to meet you Penny."

"Nice to meet you too, sir."

They went back to watching the doctors.

"Is that me?"

"Yes."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You're arm was cut pretty badly. They're afraid you'll bleed to death if they don't sew it up. You also might lose it. Your leg is badly broken. You have a couple of broken ribs, and they're puncturing your lung. You also hit your head."

"But you were there weren't you?"

"I was."

"Didn't you stop all of that?"

"I stopped you from dying."

"But you said you didn't know if I was going to die or not."

"I don't."

Penny went back to watching, confused.

"I was supposed to save you from dying then. You still might die, if that is what is God's plan."

Penny sighed. "I hope I don't. I really don't want my family to be sad, and Johnny won't ever be the same if I do."

Goompa squeezed her hand. "Dyin's a part of life, Penny girl."

"I'm ten."

"I died this week."

Penny looked at him, and felt awful about it. "I'm sorry. I know your family misses you."

"They do, but I had a long full life, my dear. I'm eighty-four years old. My wife and daughter will be strong, and they'll take care of my grandchildren."

Penny nodded, and continued to watch the doctors try to save her life.

IIIIIIIIIIII

She was going to live. She'd understood that part when Goompa smiled at her, and took her up to her room to wait on her family and her unconscious body.

"Are you my angel?" she asked him, sitting on the windowsill, her feet swinging back and forth, gently bumping the wall.

"Of a sorts."

"Whatcha mean?"

"I have several people I'll look after. My family, for instance, and certain special people."

"Who else besides them and me?"

"Well, your brother Johnny for one, and you, and a little blue-eyed girl named Jane who lives in Galveston."

"Why us?"

Goompa just smiled, and shook his head. "Now if I told you that, Penny girl, I'd be tellin' all sorts of secrets."

Penny frowned, but her attention was captured by the return of her body to the room. She looked pretty beat up, but strong enough to live. "Goompa?"

"Yeah?"

"I am goin' to live, right?"

"Sure you are! A long, full life at that."

Penny smiled at him. "How do I get back in my body?"

He raised his eyebrows, and scratched his chin. Honestly, if he hadn't told her he was eighty-four, she would swear up and down he was only in his sixties. "Well, you gotta want it real bad."

Penny wondered how she could want it anymore than she did right now.

And then Johnny came in, his head bandaged. "Hey, Pen."

Penny turned to ask where her mother and Doc were, but Goompa was gone.

She watched as her lanky brother sat down next to her bed. He lightly ran his finger over her bandaged arm. "Mom and Doc are on their way. I only got them about thirty minutes ago. The doctors agreed to go ahead and perform the surgery, even though you're a minor and I'm a minor, so I couldn't give permission, but they said you'd die if they didn't. So they went ahead and did it. I'm right glad they did Penny. They say it's a miracle you're alive..."

He stopped, his voice breaking, and tears running down his face. "I'm so sorry Pen. It's all my fault. If I hadn't taken you out, this would have never happened."

Penny wanted very much to wake up and tell him that it wasn't his fault. He'd done nothing wrong. That she loved him and to please not be sad anymore.

She felt funny, like a stretching and shrinking, a flying and sinking, and felt herself take a deep breath on her own, despite the pain in her chest.

"Johnny?"

"Penny?"

"Don't be sad Johnny. I'm gonna be okay," she whispered, falling asleep even as she said it.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Penny attended her sister's wedding wearing two casts—one on her leg, one on her arm—and a pink dress, altered to allow the former.

Johnny helped her everywhere she went, with a few exceptions.

He hadn't gotten into any trouble, though he'd been broken up about it. Jonah had taken him out, and when he came back, he'd felt much better.

The doctors had told her mother, as had the police, that normally, under such circumstances, that Penny should have died, and Johnny should have had worse wounds. Penny had simply told everyone, they'd had an angel looking after them.

Everyone had agreed, but their family believed, especially after Penny told them about him. Lexa had looked up the man Penny had described. He'd died two days before Johnny turned sixteen, in Galveston, Texas. Penny had kept a copy of his obituary in her keepsake box since, though she hadn't thought about it in years. Amongst his survivors was a grandson named Sheldon Cooper, a 13-year-old doctoral student at the University of Texas.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Penny was quiet the rest of the day. It was almost frightening the way their lives had meshed together so many times. They'd met when she was five, then Goompa had saved her and Johnny, then they'd met again. It was like the universe had always been working to bring them together.

She wondered what Sheldon would say to this. Probably something scientific to completely disprove her. She smiled at that. It would be nice to prove him wrong.

She brought the Cooper women back to the apartments and helped them carry their bags to the fourth floor. Sheldon was there with his brother and hers, talking over old cars, of all things.

Johnny mentioned, briefly, his old mustang, but tried to divert the conversation. Whit wanted to know more. "I only had it a day."

"Whadya do to it?"

Penny squeezed her brother's shoulder as she passed by. She answered for him, "A semi ran a red light."

A few "oh, mys" were heard, and Whit asked if he was okay.

"I was fine. Pen liked to died though."

Sheldon, from behind the kitchen island, jerked his head toward her and twitched.

"But I didn't, that's what's important," she said, eyes focused more on Sheldon than the others.

"You musta had an angel lookin' after you, Penny girl," Meemaw said.

"Yes ma'am. I did indeed," she said, smiling at the tall angular, man in front of her. It was no wonder that he was Meemaw's favorite. He was just like Goompa.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Hope you enjoyed this one. It's not as dark as the last three have been. Things are definitely going to lighten up now that Penny's out of her "darkness" and moving into her ordered chaos.


	7. The Oneirological Case Study

Author's note: there's really no way to say this other than I'm totally and indescribably sorry. There is absolutely no excuse for not writing in over a year. I kept coming back to the next chapter over and over again, trying to get it just right, trying to figure out where I planned on going, and it took 7 months to finally figure out what I wanted the next chapter to center around, and now it's taken 5 months to figure out who was going to participate in the chapter. As a matter of fact, inspiration didn't come until LATE, LATE last night, about 3 minutes after I had written out the idea for a 17 chapter Penny-centered fic. Now the rest of the story is pretty much planned out, as well as the aforementioned 17 chapter one. Oh, and my computer crashed a week ago. Again, no excuses!

So, here it is:

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

Diana Crescent

Chapter 7: The Oneirological Case Study

With Christmas a week away, Penny had been buying presents for family and friends, though Sheldon's had taken the longest to figure out. She was still in love with him—very much so—but wasn't making too much of a move in that direction, thanks greatly to Amy Farah Fowler becoming so ingrained into their routines. She was Sheldon's first girlfriend, even if they weren't planning on admitting it, and Penny wasn't going to mess that up, for either of them. Even their I-talian Thrusdays had come to an end. Amy had quickly become a very good friend—her "bestie" after Sheldon—and had helped her greatly in many ways. The least of which was understanding why Leonard dating Priya Koothrappali hurt so much.

Amy, able to figure it out first (no surprise there), said that Penny was more upset that Leonard was with a woman who could be what he wanted and needed, while Penny had yet to find the person who gave her that. Penny wasn't about to correct her bestie on that piece of misinformation, but understood well enough what she was saying. Penny was busy pinning away for Sheldon, who was busy enjoying time with Amy, who fit him so much better than Penny could herself. It also had something to do with now that Priya was in their lives, Leonard was banned from seeing Penny (even if they were only friends) and since that happened, Penny didn't get to go over to 4A like she used to. It was as if she were slowly being written out of the boys' lives. And that _hurt._

She took a deep breath, and centered her focus back on ribbon tying. It had taken a how-to book, a useless piece of wood that looked like a paper-towel holder, and three youtube videos, but she'd finally figured out how to make the giant bows she loved so much. Burnadette's present now wrapped, she started on Raj's.

A knock on the door startled her, bringing her newest ribbon to a mess in seconds. It really was much more difficult than the videos showed.

"Just a second," she called out, quickly stashing the presents into her closet, in case it proved to be one of her friends home from the movies early.

The knock sounded again, just as she reached the door. When she pulled it open, she was surprised to find a teenage girl with long blonde hair (with very cool pink streaks) and blue eyes standing on the other side. Not surprised because there was someone on the other side, but because that person was her baby sister.

The boys, plus the three significant others, were all coming in from said trip to the movies. She knew this because Raj had begged her to go (via text) and be his significant other. They were more surprised to watch Penny's reaction to her currently unknown visitor.

She screamed. She jumped. She cried. She wrapped Nell tightly in her arms and swayed back and forth, happy to see her sister, and whispered her name over and over again.

Nell's reaction had been very similar to her own; both of them overcome in their joy, they completely ignored the others.

"Judging by what some might call a great over-reaction, I am making the assumption that you know this person, Penny?" Amy asked, frowning slightly.

"Of course she knows her! I've never seen Penny act that way with a stranger," Sheldon said, shaking his head at the obviousness of it all.

"You weren't there that time we all got drunk back at Halloween, Sheldon," Burnadette said quietly.

Penny laughed and smiled, pulling back, put her hands on Nell's face and kissed her on each cheek. "That was one time. Everyone, this is Elizabeth Elaine Briere, my baby sister. We call her Nell."

Nell waved enthusiastically.

The others were a little less enthusiastic. Burnadette smiled and shook hands while the others waved.

Penny started to introduce everyone, pointing them out."Nelly, this is the whole gang. Sheldon and Amy—we call them Shamy-"

"Cute!" Nell gasped, as both Sheldon and Amy began to quickly correct that they were not together like that.

"Leonard and Priya. Priya is Raj's sister. Then there's Howard and Burnadette."

"Nice to meet you all," Nell said brightly, smiling a very similar smile to Penny's.

"Welcome to Pasadena, Nell. May I ask what has brought you here?" Sheldon asked, seeing the love and similarities between the two sisters.

"When Penny said she couldn't come home for Christmas, we decided it would be a good idea to bring some home to Penny. So here I am. Kitt wanted to come too, but he's got cows."

"Who's Kitt?" Priya asked.

"My brother," Penny and Nell said automatically, then giggled at each other.

"I thought you only had one brother," Howard said, confused.

"Lord no. Tammy, Johnny, and I are full siblings. Patrick and Abigail are my step-siblings from my father's marriage, and Nell and Kitt are technically my half-siblings from my mama's marriage to Doc."

Everyone was left with a semi-confused look on their face, while Penny and Nell chatted quietly about supper plans. Penny put Nell's stuff in her room, and put on some shoes and a coat.

"Well, you guys have fun!" Penny shouted, dragging her sister down the stairs towards the night life of Pasadena.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

That night, after giggling and talking, when the two of them had finally drifted off to sleep around three in the morning, Penny jerked awake, a sudden fear in the pit of her stomach. She rolled over to check on Nell, only to find her whimpering and crying in her sleep.

Penny softly shook her awake. As she did, she made a quiet _shh_ noise, trying to soothe her sisters tears. She simply wrapped Nell in her arms, as the now awake girl sobbed in arms, and stroked her hair. The two eventually fell back asleep.

She didn't think anything about it, until it happened the next night and the next.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Penny sat in the middle seat on the brown leather couch in 4A, sandwiched between Nell and Sheldon. It was a rare night where she got to be with all of her friends. Apparently Christmas miracles could happen. Priya's heart grew three sizes this morning when Penny gave her a red cashmere scarf. Priya had even gone so far as to get Penny a pink cardigan. Priya had won her friendship though, when she'd given Nell a beautiful book on Gothic architecture. It had spread pretty quickly that Nell wanted to be an architect, based on the other gifts she got.

She wasn't planning on ruining this moment, this day, for anything. Except she couldn't quite stop staring at Nell with watchful eyes.

She hadn't called her mother yet, to ask what the hell had happened to her sister. For one, because if something had happened to Nell, she'd probably already know about it; and for two (and probably the more important reason) she didn't think she could afford to go to jail right now, because if someone hurt her sister—there was no question—she was going to hurt them back.

"Penny?"

"Yes Moonpie?" She asked gently, loving to tease him almost as much as she loved the gift he'd given. It was a globe shaped necklace with the night sky painted on it. Apparently he'd abducted Nell for three hours while she was at work. Nell had thrown a pillow at her when she'd gotten home, but had sighed over his care for picking the present, only telling Penny, _You'll love it._

Sheldon's jaw ticked a little, but after nearly two years, he said little. She wasn't going to stop. Besides, he'd just gotten a real movie prop from _The Dark Knight _that was signed by Christopher Nolen and Christian Bale. How she'd managed it, he couldn't figure out, but he didn't care. It was almost as good as his Leonard Nimoy napkin._"_Why do you keep glaring at your sister? One would think you were angry with her, but you show little of the other signs of anger."

"I'm not angry with Nell. I'm worried."

Nell was staring at her, eyebrows raised, but smiled weakly back. Understanding far more quickly than Sheldon (who, just like Tammy had said, was _perfect_ for her sister).

"Why are you worried?" He, not giving Penny time to answer, leaned over. "You're not ill, are you? If you are, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Nell smiled. She was beginning to get the whole Dr. Whack-a-doodle thing. Though Penny said it a lot more lovingly than Nell thought it.

"I'm not sick."

"She has nightmares. Every night. I want to know why."

Nell said, leaned against her sister, and cuddled. Penny, always the mama bear, wrapped her sister securely in her arms.

"You promise not to laugh, Pen?"

"Do you think I'm going to laugh?"

Nell sighed. "No."

"Well?"

"I've been having nightmares—real bad ones Pen. And I don't know why."

Penny nearly responded with an 'obviously' but thought that might sound too much like Sheldon. "What are they about?"

Nell's eyes watered, and she shut them tight. "I keep dying."

"Dying?" Penny asked, confused, while the others raised their eyebrows.

"One night, I dreamed I jumped off a skyscraper. Another night, I dreamed I was electrocuted. Last night—last night was the worst Pen. I dreamed I was high up in a tree, knotted up in a long rope, and I slipped. I hung myself Penny."

"Oh honey. It's okay."

"You don't think I'm going to die, do you?" Nell sobbed out.

Penny, for the life of her, did feel like laughing a little. There was some relief in knowing they were just nightmares, and not brought on by some nightmarish real-life occurrence. "No, baby. You're not going to die." Lord help her, there was somewhat of a giggle at the end of that.

"But Daddy had those dreams about Sammy, and they-"

"You're too young to remember exactly the story behind that. Daddy and Mama always put stock in re-occurring dreams, because Daddy saved Sammy's life. You were only 'bout two."

Penny sighed, squeezed Nell a little closer, and then settled in to tell the story like it should have been told.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

A ten-year-old Penny sat across from her step-father (a formality only; anyone who knew Penny knew she had only one daddy, and that daddy was Doc) at the breakfast table, eyeballing him critically. In the five years she'd known him, and the nearly four they'd been related, Doc had not once looked like he could use a nap, especially not one right after breakfast. He was always a morning person—infuriatingly so. He'd whistle right along with the birds at dawn if her Mama would just let him. However, for the last three or four mornings, he looked like he hadn't slept at all. She wasn't the only one worried, either. Johnny had taken to looking up symptoms Doc may or may not have been experiencing. Currently, though, the only definite one on the list was not getting enough sleep.

Their mother, on the fifth day, finally made it clear to them.

"Bad dreams again?" Lexa asked, setting his coffee down in front of him.

Doc just nodded. He hugged Lexa, his face to her stomach, just as he did every morning.

"Whadya dream?" Johnny asked, wondering what could possibly shake Doc's cool enough that he wasn't sleeping. According to Johnny, the only man tougher or better than Doc, was Pap. Something that Doc didn't mind in the least.

Penny briefly thought about that difference between Doc and her father again. Where their father would have been offended and probably never would have let go of the anger from that offense, Doc would just smile and clap Johnny on the back, seeing the compliment for what it was. Pap was the bees-knees as far as his grandchildren were concerned, and was a man Doc greatly respected. The fact that Doc had Pap's love and respect was no little feat (yet again, something Bill Bradley had never accomplished), and Penny thought it said a great deal about all three of them.

She was quickly pulled out of her thoughts, as Doc answered.

"I keep dreaming that Sammy's not doing well."

Sammy, better known to Penny as Samuel Dylan Marley (the second), was the newest addition to their family. He was four and a half months old, blue-eyed, and black headed. He was Tammy and Jonah's first born, and Penny had gotten to name him. Jonah and the Marley tribe were pleased with the name, but only Tammy actually knew how Penny had really managed to come up with that one. He was as cute as a button, and was one of the three lights of Penny's life. Her two-year old siblings being the other two.

He was also coming for his second visit in two days. His first had been on their (and Tammy's) coinciding spring break.

"What do you mean?" She asked, slightly panicked.

Doc sighed, seeing he'd upset his blonde-haired daughter. "I'm sure it's fine. Just a bad dream."

"But what if it ain't—isn't!" June Bug's lessons still kicking in.

Doc smiled. "It's just a dream. It doesn't mean anything."

"If it's a dream, why are you worried about it?" She shot back, seeing more than he wanted her to.

Doc and Lexa took a glance at each other, and sighed. Since June Bug's death, Penny had been far more cautious about her family's well-being. The thought of having to lose someone frightened her to pieces, and she was swiftly becoming very protective of all of her siblings (biological, at least; Penny didn't think there'd be any way she'd ever like Patrick or Abigail, no matter how much her father tried) and said siblings' children.

"Because it's a really bad dream."

Penny took a deep breath. Bad dreams she could deal with. She'd had a few in her time, especially while losing and after losing June Bug, but the thing that made it better was always talking about it.

She gave her parents a very grown up look, and simply said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Doc smiled, and opened his arms. She went around the table, while Johnny shook his head. He always had some amused smile on his face when it came to Penny. She'd asked him about it once, not too long before Sammy was born, and he'd simply told her, that sometimes she surprised him with how much she knew.

Now seated in Doc's lap, he sighed and drew his eyebrows together. "It's the same every night, and it's been happening since we saw him spring break. I keep dreaming that he's locked in a tank of water, but no one seems to notice. Sometimes, I don't think anything of it, but the worse he gets, the more only I notice. It's like I can't get there it time, even though I'm right there."

Penny raised one eyebrow. "So, basically, he's drowning."

Doc nodded sadly, and whispered. "Basically."

Penny sat quietly, thinking on what it could mean. Johnny also sat quietly, his eyebrows drawn together and lips pursed. "Do you think that this is your brain subconsciously telling you there's something wrong with Sammy that we aren't seeing, but you are because you're a doctor?"

Penny turned to her brother. He'd gone to therapy for a few months after their crash, trying to get over what happened to her, and since then, he'd studied the brain and psychology quite a bit. This sounded like more of his psychology mumbo-jumbo, and Penny rarely followed what he said when he talked about it.

Doc, however, could usually follow it. He began nodding. "Possibly, but what could he have?"

Penny sighed. "Well, drowning means water and breathing. Breathing means your lungs." Johnny gave her a look that said "Duh!", but Doc looked at her like she'd struck gold, but still seemed to not be seeing her.

"Lexa, honey, call Tammy. I have questions I need to ask her."

Two hours later, Tammy was at the doctor, confirming that Sammy had Chronic Lung Disease—which sounded foreboding to Penny. She was told however, that many babies have it and most of them outgrow it. There was really nothing to worry about now that they caught it.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Everyone seemed to be paying attention. She was a little embarrassed by that, but Nell seemed to have quieted.

Penny sighed. "So you see, dreams are just our subconscious brain telling the conscious brain what it's not picking up on. Just like Johnny said."

"So is my subconscious telling my conscious that I'm going to die?"

"No. What is really bothering you? You obviously have a decision that you're trying to make, but you're afraid that it's going to destroy your future."

"How do you figure that?" Nell asked, sitting up and looking at her sister like she was growing a separate head.

"It's somewhat common sense. Death means no future. You're worried you're not going to get to have a future if you don't make the right choice. Your dreams, does it come down to making a choice, and you make the wrong one."

Nell nodded slowly. "Or I don't make one at all."

Penny smiled. "Are you worried about picking a college, by any chance."

Nell's eyes widened. "Well, yeah."

"How worried?"

Nell sighed. "Mama and Daddy keep saying it has to be my choice."

Penny rolled her eyes; that technically wasn't an answer, but it was enough of one. "June Bug said you were going to end up in New York. She also predicted Tammy, Johnny, mine, and Kitt's futures before she died. I think she's going to be right about yours too."

"I've looked at like five colleges in New York."

"Which one is the best?"

"Cornell."

"So go there."

"I can't. It's super expensive-"

"It's the best. It doesn't matter how expensive it is, Nell. Is that were you want to go?"

Nell quietly whispered, almost an unnoticeable "Yes."

"Then go. If that's where you want to be, go. Everything will work out. You may have to work harder than the others, but I know you. You'll be great."

Nell smiled at her sister. "It's ranked number one for architecture."

Penny looked at the sparkle returning to the the blue eyes she loved so well. "You already got in, didn't you."

"My scholarship would pay for half of the costs. I'd end up with like $100,000 in student loans though, by the time I was done."

Penny turned to look at Sheldon, and with her eyes, asked him the question she knew only he could answer.

"Based on the average salary of an architect, as well as cost of living in Ithaca, you could have this sum paid off in approximately eight to ten years, less if you save during your college years. I could come up with an average amount per month that you would need to save in order to pay it off in five years."

Nell smiled at Sheldon with her Happy-Penny smile, as he liked to call it. "You'd do that, for me?"

Sheldon smiled back. "Yes."

"Can I hug you?"

"No, but I will acknowledge your need to do so."

Penny laughed, and hugged him anyway. "Thank you Moonpie."

"Merry Christmas Penny," he said back, not seeming to mind her touch.

I hope this helps. Next up: summer and the Coopers meet the Bradleys and the Brieres...hmm...wonder what this could mean?


	8. The SoulMate Intuition

I know, I know. What the hell took you so long? I started writing the next chapter, and it was always so forced. It never flowed naturally, but finally, I thought—why not reverse the order of the last three chapters, and Voila! Inspiration and it's not forced anymore. Thank heavens!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Psychic Vortex Continuum

Diana Crescent

Chapter Eight: The Soul-Mate Intuition

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Penny sat quietly, bleary-eyed, next to a (for once) quiet Sheldon in a yellow vinyl booth, next to a large window watching the sun come up over Vegas. He was twirling his spoon in some oatmeal, while she poured syrup on her pancakes. Both were waiting for coffee to kick in, and both were sincerely hoping that the waitress would leave the carafe next time.

What had started out as a weekend trip with the whole crew had turned into a bachelor's party for Howard and bachelorette party for Bernadette (who were getting married in several months) which had turned into a wedding for Raj.

There was no great plot line, like in the _Hangover_, no great love affair. The simple truth was that Raj had gotten severely drunk, as had Leonard and Howard and Amy and Bernadette, and met a girl named Divya who was quite beautiful. At some point, but Divya and Raj had begun talking. Penny and Sheldon had both been absent, as Sheldon had no desire to gamble or drink. Penny had begged him to join her at Cirque du Soliel, and he'd joined her willingly. They'd been busy watching feats of strength and listening to beautiful music, while the others had decided to get their _Vegas _on.

After walking out of the theater, they'd quickly been absconded by their friends, and the girls had whisked off to go see Chippendale dancers. Penny had quickly gotten to know Divya, learning a lot about her in a short amount of time, while Bernadette and Amy had giggled over all of the future-bride _memorabilia _that they had found so quickly. Penny, not so enthusiastic, and Divya, wide-eyed and blushing, had refused to partake in such typical behavior. Instead, they'd discussed careers.

Divya, it seemed, was a closet Sci-fi fan, and loved Penny's show. She was also a kindergarten teacher back in Pasadena and had been visiting her sister—a Vegas show girl—when she'd quite literally bumped into Raj, who'd been drunk enough to talk to her. Divya was small, about Bernadette's height, and just as voluptuous as the blond. Her hair was midnight black, her skin the color of an iced latte, and her eyes a dark green that was so striking, even Penny had lost her train of thought at first glance. She was also incredibly shy and felt like such an outsider until Penny had come along and drawn her into the fold.

As the night progressed, she'd also learned that Divya was under a lot of pressure from her parents back in India to get married. Penny had brought up Raj's parents, and how they were the same way, when Amy—God bless her Vodka-addled brain—had suggested that Raj and Divya get married. For convenience.

Five texts, one dress shop, and a wedding later, Divya, whose last name she still didn't know, had become Mrs. Rajesh Koothrapoli. The mostly-sober Penny and the completely-sober Sheldon had done their best to delay the match, but had been outargued (or at least, there was no arguing with drunk people) by their six counterparts.

And now, neither of them able to sleep, Penny and Sheldon had gone for breakfast at dawn.

It was looking to be a long day.

"Do you think they'll stay married?" Sheldon asked, muted. It was obvious that he was exhausted, but he still remained civil, as she'd shut the others up about him being a stick in the mud.

Penny let out a little hum, and let her mind drift to the marriage. She didn't suppose it was too unlike her Pap and Mamaw.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Penny, at fourteen, was the oldest left at home. Tammy and Jonah were in Washington DC, while Johnny had gone off to Tulane to study medicine. Kitt and Nell, who were often left in her care, were five and adorable.

However, Penny found herself staring off into space just as often as she could be found doing anything else. Thinking her daughter bored of being home all summer, Lexa had packed Penny up and sent her across the state to her Pap and Mamaw's house.

Penny, as of late, had become overly concerned with boys and her future. She was also interested in hearing all the juicy details of falling in love, which was why she was staring at her grandmother's picture albums so keenly and had been for days.

"Whatcha lookin' at Mini-Penny?" Mamaw asked, walking into the bedroom to put away some linens.

"Mamaw, why don't you and Pap have any pictures from before you were married?"

Mamaw blinked, and smiled. "We didn't know each other very long before we got married."

Penny frowned and looked up at her, away from her mother's baby pictures. "How long did you know one another?"

"Three days."

"Three days!" Penny shouted. "How-"

Her grandmother sent her a stern look.

"Sorry Mamaw. But-"

"It was during the war. You grandfather was a marine in the South Pacific. I was a nurse with the Navy. We were sent in to care for the wounded, and I was the nurse caring for your grandfather. He'd been shot twice in the chest, and he was almost finished healing when I took over his care. I spent three days in his company, and we fought fiercely."

Penny's mouth must have dropped open, because her Mamaw laughed. Penny had never seen her grandparents fight—ever. They'd been married over fifty years, and no one had ever mentioned them ever fighting once.

"Oh, we had a time. I pecked at him like a bird after a squirrel, and he pecked back just as bad. For three days we nearly tore the place down, yelling and fussing. I'd leave his bedside shaking I was so mad, and he'd grumble for hours about that silly chit of a nurse who ordered him about like a four-star general. Oh, we were horrible."

"What happened?"

Mamaw smiled softly, and sadly. "We took fire. I ran into his room and got him out of bed and on the floor. He hadn't heard the shots, and was thinking that I'd finally snapped. He was just about to really start in when he saw how afraid I was. Then the bullets started flying in from the planes, and he covered my body with his own and whispered nonsense in my ear the whole time. When it was over, he kissed me just as gently as he could, and asked if I was alright. I burst into tears. It was the first time I'd every really experienced war. I'd seen the casualties, but not first hand what caused those injuries. He kissed me 'til I calmed down, and told me ever so sweetly not to worry, he was going to take care of me."

Penny waited for her to continue, wanting the next part of the story. "And then?"

Mamaw, caught up in her remembering smiled. "I asked him how on earth he could possibly take care of me. He only asked if I had a sweetheart back home. I said no, as I had joined the navy nurses right out of high school, and had left no one behind and only had my folks to write to. He said that that was just fine, that we'd get married just as soon as he could find a preacher, and I'd never have to be afraid again. He found a preacher not two hours later, and just like that, your Pap and I were married. Of course, he was shipped off the next day to Okinawa and I was stuck with more patients, but once everything was all said and done, we met up in San Francisco and boarded a train back to Omaha as man and wife. We never once looked back."

"Mamaw...how did you know?"

"Know what baby?"

"Know that Pap was it. Know that you weren't making the biggest mistake of your life."

Mamaw smiled and caressed her hair. "You just know Mini-Penny. For the first time...perhaps ever, I felt more safe and more wanted than I ever had. Even lying on the ground trying to keep from getting killed, I wasn't afraid in his arms. He was a good man, and he was so serious about taking care of me. It felt more right to say those vows to your Pap than it did to do anything else in my life. I've had three beautiful children—your mother being the last and my only daughter—and I've never once regretted a moment of my life. If I could live it over again, I wouldn't do anything different."

"I hope I can love like that."

"You will, Mini-Penny. Just remember, baby, that soul mates are for real. Wait on yours, and you won't regret it. You'll just know."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"Penny?" Penny jumped a little and turned to look at Sheldon.

He didn't look irritated at being slightly ignored, which might have been a first. His eyes, though, were just as bloodshot as hers and his mind probably as numb.

"Yes, Moonpie?"

"I asked, do you think they'll stay married, or should we look into annulment laws?"

Penny frowned, pensively. Last night, as hard as she'd fought Divya and Raj about waiting until they were sober, she found herself remembering not their drunken state, but the way they'd glanced at each other. The knowing looks, the sweet gestures, the way Raj—the consummate drunken ass—had been so considerate of the tiny, beautiful Indian woman who shyly watched him with such joy and care. The way their hands had constantly connected, and that chaste kiss that left an ache in Penny's soul for wanting something so similar.

"You know Moonpie, I think they're going to be okay. I think...I think it's going to last."

Sheldon merely raised a brow, indicating his lack of belief in such a thing, but did not argue.

It was sometime later that they'd arrived back at their hotel to find Raj and Divya contentedly holding hands and smiling at each other, whispering secrets.

Sheldon merely looked at Penny and asked, "How did you know?"

She smiled softly at him, and gently, scared she might annoy him, straightened his hair. His gaze only intensified and something in his eyes shifted. "You just know Sheldon. You just know."

He nodded, and rather than join the newly married couple, followed Penny to the quiet of their rooms, intent on actually getting some sleep this time.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

I'll try and get the next one out this weekend. No promises.


End file.
